DORON  GREEN. 


History  of  Bristol  Borough 


County  of  Bucks,   State  of  Pennsylvania 


ANCIENTLY     KNOWN    AS 


"BUCKINGHAM" 


BEING     THE 


Third  Oldest  Town  and  Second  Chartered 
Borough 

IN 

PENNSYLVANIA 

From   Its   Earliest  Times  to  the   Present  Year 

1911 


By    DORON    GREEN 
Bristol,    Pa. 


C.   8.   M:aora.th,  Camdkn,  N.  J. 


LOAN  STACK 


WILUAM  V.  LEECH. 
President  Bristol  Public  School  Board. 


This  book  is  respectfully 
dedicated  to 

Mr,    William  V,  Leech 

President  of  the 
Bristol  Public  School  Board 

Through  whose  encouragement  and  kindly  assistance 
this  Work  's  published 


INTRODUCTION, 


To  the  Public : 

In  presenting  this  work  to  the  public,  the  writer  hopes 
that  its  perusal  by  our  many  citizens  may  stimulate  with- 
in the  hearts  of  all,  a  greater  interest  in  our  town's  de- 
velopment and  a  more  earnest  desire  to  promote  its  wel- 
fare. The  collection  of  data  covers  a  period  of  several 
years  and  was  the  outcome  of  an  intense  love  for  history, 
on  the  part  of  the  writer.  The  collection  began  primarily, 
not  with  the  object  of  publication,  but  simply  as  a  scrap 
book  of  useful  information.  Several  times  it  has  served 
its  purpose  well.  On  one  occasion  a  few  months  ago,  the 
president  of  our  local  school  board,^  Mr.  William  V. 
Leech,  while  examining  the  scrap  book,  was  surprised  at 
the  information  it  contained,  and  suggested  the  expedi- 
ency of  publishing  its  contents  in  book  form,  as  an  up- 
to-date  history  of  Bristol.  The  writer  consented,  and 
after  arranging  the  events  in  their  chronological  order, 
and  collecting  additional  information  to  make  a  con- 
nected story,  this  work  is  the  result. 

Most  of  the  early  history  of  the  town  has  been  taken 
from  General  Davis'  History  of  Bucks  County,  and  from 
the  scrap  book  of  the  late  William  Kinsey.  Additional 
information  was  obtained  from  Battles'  History  of  Bucks 
County,  and  Bache's  History  of  Bristol.  Few  of  the 
younger  generation  realize  what  the  town  owes  to  Wm. 
Kinsey  for  the  preservation  of  valuable  data,  relative  to 
the  early  history  of  Bristol.  It  was  his  intense  love  of 
history,  his  unswerving  devotion  to  the  town,  his  splen- 
did memory,  his  cultured  intellect,  all  combined  with  his 
facile  pen,  that  has  caused  him  to  hand  down  to  us,  his 
posterity,  information  that  will  prove  of  inestimable  value 
as  the  years  pass  by.  In  many  places  in  this  work  the 
writer  has  purposely  mentioned  Mr.  Kinsey,  as  the  foun- 
tain from  which  he  drew  his  information,  in  order  that 
succeeding  generations  may  bestow  proper  credit  where 


VI.  INTRODUCTION. 

it  is  due.  Information  has  also  been  obtained  from  the 
columns  of  the  Bucks  County  Gazette  and  the  Weekly 
Courier.  To  Charles  M.  Foster,  C.  Wesley  Milnor,  Frank 
Woodington,  Sr.,  Capt.  Burnet  Landreth,  and  Joseph  H. 
Vanzant,  the  writer  is  also  indebted  for  much  valuable 
data. 

In  concluding,  the  writer  wants  to  say  that  this  book  is 
published  without  thought  of  financial  reward  or  profit 
from  its  publication.  The  compiling  of  the  data  has  been 
a  labor  of  love,  and  if  a  perusal  of  its  pages  will  create 
within  the  hearts  of  our  citizens  a  greater  love  for  their 
town,  and  cause  the  horizon  of  the  future  to  glow  with 
resplendent  hopes  of  a  happy,  harmonious  and  prosper- 
ous community,  the  writer  will  feel  fully  and  abundantly 
repaid  for  all  his  labors. 

Very  truly, 

DORON  GREEN. 


CONTENTS, 


Epoch  I.  Construction   Period Pages  11-34 

Introduction.  George  Fox,  an  early  English 
Traveler.  Algonkin  Indians.  The  Chil- 
dren of  the  Algonkin  Indians.  Early  Settle- 
ments on  the  Delaware.  Primitive  Farming. 
The  Early  Settlers  Lived  Well.  The  Homes 
of  the  First  Settlers.  The  Site  of  Bristol. 
The  Ferry  Against  Burlington.  Development 
of  Roads.  The  King's  Highway,  Social 
Progress.  A  History  of  Burlington  Island. 
The  Coming  of  William  Penn.  Islands  in 
the  Delaware  Below  Bristol.  The  Town 
Plot  Staked  Out.  Phineas  Pemberton  and 
James   Harrison.     First   Postal    System. 

Epoch  II.        The   Market   Town Pages  35-57 

Introduction.  Bristol  Mills.  Samuel  Car- 
penter. Bristol  Court  House.  Cutler's 
Draft  of  Town  (1715)..  An  Old  Landmark. 
The  De  Normandies.  Old  Records  Lost. 
Bristol  Society  of  Friends.  St.  James'  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church.  St.  James' 
Graveyard. 

Epoch  III.      Bristol  Becomes  a  Borough Pages  58-84 

Introduction.  Election  of  Borough  Officers. 
The  Town  Meeting.  Borough  Taxes.  Bris- 
tol Visited  by  a  Great  Fire.  Daniel  Boone 
Born  in  Bristol  Township.  The  Golden  Age. 
House  of  Correction.  The  First  Stage 
Wagons.  Rev.  George  Whitefield  Visits 
Bristol.  Bristol  Hotels.  The  Fairs.  Bris- 
tol in  1748.  Improved  Style  in  Living.  Wil- 
liam Mcllvaine  and  Alexander  Graydon. 
Bristol  College.  His  Majesty's  Troops  Visit 
Bristol.  George  the  Second  now  Delaware 
House.  Charles  Bessonett.  Market  House. 
A  Distinguished  Friend.  Anti-Revolution- 
ary Houses.  Repairs  to  Streets.  Bristol 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Epoch  IV.       The  Period  oe  the  Revolution Pages  85-100 

Introduction.  Society  of  Friends  Against 
the     War.       Bristolians     Captured    at     Fort 


Vlll.  CONTENTS. 

Washington.  Prisoners  of  War  Held  at 
Bristol.  Washington  Decides  to  Retreat. 
The  Continental  Army  Enters  Bucks  County. 
General  Cadwalader's  Army  Encamped  at 
Bristol.  Washington  Plans  to  Attack  Hes- 
sians at  Trenton.  The  Destiny  of  the  Coun- 
try Hung  by  a  Single  Thread.  The  Battle 
of  Trenton.  Camp  of  Instruction  at  Bristol. 
Continental  Army  Again  Enters  Bucks 
County.  Lafayette  Wounded  Brought  to 
Bristol.  Bristol  Captured  by  the  British. 
French  and  American  Armies  Pass  Through 
Bristol.     Bristol  Lodge  No.  25,  F.  A.  M. 

Epoch  V.  Bristoi,  a  Fashionable  Watering  Place 101-143 

Introduction.  A  Famous  Seed  Producing 
Establishment.  Charter  Obtained  From 
State.  Ship  Building  Industry.  History  of 
Early  Steamboating  on  the  River  Delaware 
above  Philadelphia.  An  Interesting  Record. 
First  Post  Office  in  Bucks  County.  The 
Badger  Fishery.  Story  of  a  Duel.  A  Whis- 
key Story.  BloomSdale  Ferry  Lane.  Bela 
Badger.  The  Celebrated  Bath  Springs' 
House.  The  First  Sunday  School. 
Bristol's  Old  Time  People.  A  Queer 
Custom.  A  House  With  a  History.  Dick 
Shad,  the  Runaway  Slave.  The  Farmers' 
National  Bank.  First  Woolen  Mill.  Sime 
Ento,  the  Spanish  Minister.  Bristolians  in 
War  of  1812.  Jones'  Shipyard.  Joseph  Bona- 
parte, ex-King  of  Spain.  Major  Lenox  and 
the  Keene  Mansion.  Lafayette's  Visit.  A 
Tale  of  the  Stage  Coach  Days.  Rowland 
Stepheilson. 

Epoch  VI.       Bristol  a  Coalport  Town Pages  144-210 

History  of  the  Canal.  The  Town  Hall.  The 
First  Railroad.  The  First  Public  School. 
Board  and  First  School  House.  Colored 
Children's  Right  to  Attend  the  Public 
Schools  Questioned  by  Townspeople.  St. 
Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Presby- 
terian Church.  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Silk  Worm  Industry.  History  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church.  Bristol  Newspapers. 
Downing's  Flour  Mill.  Pleasing  Reminis- 
censes  by  C.  Wesley  Milnor.  Bristol's 
Forges.  Landreth's  Machine  Shop.  The 
Temperance  War.  A  History  of  Bristol's 
Physicians  Down  to  1854.  Charles  Burleigh, 
the   Abolitionist,   Denied   the  Right   of   Free 


CONTENTS.  IX. 

Speech.  Public  School  No.  2.  Bristol  Fire 
Company  No.  i.  Washington  Hall.  Build- 
ing Associations.  A  New  Charter  Obtained 
For  the  Borough.  The  Bristol  Gas  Light 
Company.  Bristol  in  1853.  Disastrous  Fire, 
How  it  Was  Fought.  A  Singular  Accident. 
County  Elections.  Caleb  N.  Taylor,  of  Bris- 
tol Township,  Only  Delegate  From  Pennsyl- 
vania Who  Voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  in 
the  Republican  National  Convention  of  i860. 

Epoch  VIL      Period  of  the  Civil  War Pages  211-238 

Lincoln  Greeted  by  Bristolians.  A  Bristol 
Girl  Unfurls  First  Confederate  Flag.  Bris- 
tol's Patriotism  at  Sumter's  Fall.  Young 
America  Aroused.  Patriotic  Enthusiasm. 
Sword  Presentation.  The  Montgomery 
Guards  Inspected.  Bristol's  Three  Military 
Companies.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  St. 
James'  P.  E.  Church.  Captain  Henry  Clay 
Beatty.  Commissioned  Officers  in  Civil  War. 
Terrible  Railroad  Accident.  Robert  Tyler. 
A  Whale  in  the  Delaware  at  Bristol.  Death 
of  Dr.  John  Phillips.  Bristol  Woolen  Mill 
Company. 

Epoch  VIH.    Bristol  a  Manufacturing  Town Pages  239-323 

Introduction.  Industrial  Progress.  Joseph 
Ridgway  Grundy.  Bud  Noble,  the  World  Re- 
nowned Horse  Trainer  and  Jockey.  Bristol 
Water  Company.  Buckley  Street  Mission  Sun- 
day School.  America  Hose,  Hook  and  Ladder 
Co.  No.  2.  A  Fruit  Preserving  Establish- 
ment. Reminiscences  of  1875-1880.  The 
Clark  Insulated  Wire  Company.  Washing- 
ton Street  School  House.  An  Exciting  Elec- 
tion ;  Ballot  Box  Stolen.  The  Providence 
Knitting  Company.  Bath  Street  Public 
School.  A  Republican  Wigwam.  Memor- 
able Freshet  and  Ice  Gorge.  The  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  Changes  its  Course.  Open- 
ing of  the  Streets.  The  Roller  Skating 
Craze.  A  Memorable  Blizzard.  High 
School  Building.  St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Church. 
Organization  of  Fire  Companies  Nos.  3,  4 
and  5.  Borough  Fire  Department  Organ- 
ized. Death  of  Matilda  Swift  Booz.  Miss 
Louise  D.  Baggs  Elected  Superintendent. 
Revolutionary  Skeletons  Unearthed,  1903.  B. 
Franklin  Gilkeson.  Death  of  John  K.  Wild- 
man.     Bristol  Lodge  No.  980  B.  P.  O.  Elks. 


X.  CONTE^NTS. 

Italian  Presbyterian  Evangelical  Mission. 
Death  of  Hon.  William  Kinsey.  St. 
Ann's  Italian  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
The  Grundy  Medal.  Jefferson  Avenue 
School  House.  Governor  Edwin  S.  Stuart 
Visits  Bristol.  Maggie  Winder,  a  Phenome- 
nal Racing  Filly.  Lincoln  Centennial  Anniver- 
sary. Memorial  Tablet  Unveiled.  The  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company's  New  Roadbed. 
Railroad's  New  Concrete  Bridges.  Hal- 
ley's  Comet.  The  First  Airship  to  Pass 
Over  Bristol.  History  of  Radcliffe  Street. 
Showing  Increase  in  Population.  Bristol's 
Oldest  Citizen. 

Epoch  IX.       Bristol  of   Today Pages  324-335 

Introduction.  Unsurpassed  Opportunities. 
Population  Cosmopolitan.  Manufacturing 
District.  Well  Supplied  With  Churches. 
Public  Schools.  Newspapers.  Hotels.  Div- 
ided Into  Wards.  Borough  Government.  Re- 
pairs to  Streets.  Banking  Institutions.  Post 
Office.  Extension  of  Streets.  Anchor 
Yacht  Club.  Secret  Societies.  Social  Clubs. 
Practicing  Physicians.  Drug  Stores.  Mov- 
ing Pictures.  Burlington  Island  Park.  Trol- 
ley Service.  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
Dawning  of  a  New  Bristol. 

Appendix Pages  33^-370 

Items  from  Diary  of  C.  M.  Foster.  How 
Otter  Street  Received  Its  Name.  The  Bristol 
Library.  How  Radcliffe  was  Named.  How 
St.  James'  P.  E.  Church  Extended  the  Bound- 
aries of  Its  Land.  More  About  the  de  Onis 
Marriage  by  Proxy.  Description  of  the 
First  Episcopal  Church.  The  Beginning  of 
the  Public  School  System.  A  Whale  in  the 
Delaware.  "Weston"  Passes  Through  Bris- 
tol. Leasy's  Point  a  Noted  Place.  More 
About  the  Willis  (Buckley)  House.  Show- 
ing Dates  of  Ward  Divisions.  Bristol's  Old- 
est Manufacturer.  Bristol's  Oldest  Citizens. 
A  Reference  to  the  Vanzant  Family.  Earli- 
est Settlement  in  Bucks  County.  Showing 
the  Origin  of  the  African  M.  E.  Church.  Con- 
ductor William  Bailey  and  "Bailey's  Line." 
National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Committee 
Visits  Bristol.  More  Reminiscences  of  By- 
Gone  Days.  Bristol  Borough  to  Purchase 
Water  Works.     Borough  Officers. 


EPOCH    I 


CONSTRUCTION  PERIOD. 


From    the    Earliest    Times,    to    1697,    the    Chartering 
of  the  Market  Town. 

Introduction. — "Among  the  earliest  projects  of  our 
colonial  predecessors,  who  settled  on  the  lands  bordering 
upon  the  Delaware  river,  was  the  selection  of  the  more 
desirable  sites  for  the  erection  of  villages.  One  of  these, 
which  claimed  their  first  attention,  was  that  upon  the 
western  bank  of  the  Delaware,  north  of  Neshaminy  creek, 
then  called  the  town  of  Buckingham  (Bristol),  in  the 
district  of  country  then  bearing  the  same  name  (now  in 
the  County  of  Bucks)."  *  *  h:  *  >^ 

"The  beautiful  and  luxuriant  sections  of  country  on 
either  side  of  the  lovely  Delaware,  everywhere  offered 
inviting  inducements  to  the  earlier  settlers  in  selecting 
places  and  rearing  their  intended  homesteads.  Their 
dwellings  were  chiefly  built  of  heavy  forest  timber, 
known  as  log  cabins.  At  the  lapse  of  about  the  first  fif- 
teen years  from  its  civil  settlement,  lands  in  the  south- 
eastern portion  of  that  section  of  country  known  as 
Buckingham  (Bristol),  skirting  the  Delaware,  even  before 
Philadelphia  was  designed  and  laid  out,  were  eagerly 
taken  up  and  settled  upon,  the  patentees  deriving  their 
titles  from  Governor  Andros.  (See  Watson's  Annals,  i. 
pp.  10,  II.)  And,  indeed,  strong  expectations  had  been 
entertained,  that  the  city  of  Philadelphia  would  have  been 
founded  at  Buckingham,  or  Bristol;  but  their  cherished 
hopes  were  overruled,  mainly  in  consequence  of  the  river 


12  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH. 

navigation  being  more  favorable  to  heavy  shipping 
further  down.  There  were  some  who  even  anticipated 
the  erection  of  that  city  at  Pennsbury,  the  favored  home- 
stead of  the  Proprietor;  others  again  at  Byberry,  then 
distinctly  known  as  a  'Friends' '  settlement,  which, 
indeed,  appears  for  a  time  to  have  been  once  called  'Old 
Philadelphia."  ***** 

"The  success  of  the  Pennsylvania  colonial  enterprise, 
which  was  equal  to  the  most  sanguine  hopes  of  its  illus- 
trious founder' and  law-giver;  the  'unbroken  chain  of 
friendship'  and  confidence  which  was  maintained,  'ever 
bright  and  untarnished,'  between  the  colonists  and  the 
Indians,  under  the  system  of  mutual  concessions  adopted 
by  William  Penn,  operating  more  favorably  than  the 
unwise,  if  not  unjust  policy,  of  the  neighboring  colonies, 
especially  that  of  Lord  Baltimore,  afforded  perhaps,  feel- 
ings of  greater  satisfaction  and  security  from  assault,  on 
the  part  of  settlers  here.  And  on  this  account,  it  may 
be  fairly  surmised,  it  was  in  some  measure,  that  lands 
in  this  immediate  neighborhood,  comprised  within  the 
tract  then  called  Buckingham  (Bristol),  commanded  their 
first  attention.  Besides,  the  supposition  appears  reason- 
able, that  many,  especially  those  embued  with  the 
religious  sentiments  of  the  Friends,  should  have  cherished 
an  inward  desire  to  locate  themselves  in  a  near  proximity 
to  the  favorite  spot  chosen  as  the  manor  of  their  good 
and  great  patriarch  and  founder." — (Bache's  History  of 
Bristol.) 

George  Fox,  an  Early  English  Traveler. — One  of  the 

earliest  English  travelers  down  the  Delaware  was  George 
Fox,  the  eminent  Friend,  in  the  fall  of  1672,  on  his  way 
from  Long  Island  to  Maryland.  Starting  from  Middle- 
town  harbor,  New  Jersey,  he  traveled  through  the  woods, 
piloted  by  Indians,  toward  the  Delaware.  He  reached  the 
river  the  evening  of  the  loth  of  September;  stayed  all 
night  at  the  house  of  Peter  Jegou,  at  Leasy  Point,  and 
the  next  morning  crossed  over  to  Burlington  Island  and 
then  to  the  main  land,  just  above  Bristol.  Himself  and 
friends  were  taken  over  in  Indian  canoes,  and  the  horses 
swam. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  I3 

Algonkin  Indians. — The  Indian  Tribes  with  which  the 
whites  first  came  in  contact  on  the  Delaware  river,  were 
radically  different  from  those  who  occupied  the  interior, 
and  at  a  later  day  became  so  conspicuous  a  figure  in  the 
annals  of  the  province.  They  appear  to  have  been  inde- 
pendent tribes  of  the  Algonkin  family,  living  on  the  tribu- 
tary streams  of  the  Delaware,  probably  a  tribe  in  some 
parts,  for  every  ten  or  twenty  miles.  Many  of  the  names 
applied  to  these  tribes  appear  to  have  been  arbitrary 
designations  derived  from  the  aboriginal  names  given  to 
the  streams  on  which  they  dwelt,  and  few  of  them  are  met 
in  the  records  and  writings  of  later  years.  Thus  Smith, 
in  his  History  of  New  Jersey,  speaks  of  the  Assumpinks, 
Rankokas,  Mingo,  Andostaka,  Neshamine  and  Shacka- 
maxon  tribes.  Those  about  Burlington  he  calls  the 
Mantas,  probably  the  "Roodehoeks  or  Mantes"  of  the 
early  Dutch  adventurers  and  the  authors  of  the  massacre 
which  extinguished  De  Vries's  colony  in  1631.  "But  these 
and  others,"  says  Smith,  "were  all  of  them  distinguished 
from  the  back  Indians,  who  were  a  more  warlike  people, 
by  the  general  name  of  Delawares."  He  notes  also  other 
tribes  that  had  a  wider  reputation  and  occasionally  "in- 
habited New  Jersey  and  the  first  settled  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania," among  which  are  the  Monseys,  the  Pomptons, 
the  Senecas  and  the  Maquaas.  "The  last  was  the  most 
numerous  and  powerful." 

These  more  notable  tribes  represent  the  two  great 
families  of  the  Indian  race  which  the  earliest  explorers 
found  in  possession  of  the  vast  region  defined  by  the  great 
lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence  on  the  north,  and  the  Poto- 
mac and  Chesapeake  bay  on  the  south.  The  Iroquois 
were  the  first  to  reach  this  region  in  the  course  of  their 
traditional  migration  from  the  west,  and  settled  in  the 
lake  district.  Subsequently,  the  Leni  Lenape,  the  great 
head  of  the  Algonkin  family,  found  their  way  hither,  and 
fixed  upon  the  Delaware  river  as  their  national  centre. 
Of  this  nation  only  three  branches  appear  to  have  crossed 
the  Alleghenies,  of  which  the  Turtles  and  the  Turkeys 
continued  their  migration  to  the  seaboard,  where  they 
planted  their  villages  and  remained  until  dispossessed  by 
the  whites.     The  Wolf  branch,  better  known  by  their 


14  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

English  name  of  the  Monseys,  planted  itself  at  the  "Mini- 
sinks,"  on  the  Delaware,  extending  the  line  of  their  villages 
on  the  east  to  the  Hudson,  and  to  the  Susquehanna  on 
the  west.  From  this  branch  were  derived  the  different 
tribes  which  occupy  the  foreground  in  the  early  annals 
of  the  pioneers. 

For  a  time  the  two  great  families  lived  on  terms  of 
friendly  intercourse,  but  hostilities  eventually  broke  out 
between  them,  which  by  means  fair  and  foul,  resulted  in 
the  humbling  of  the  Delawares,  as  they  were  named  by 
the  English,  How  this  was  accomplished  is  differently 
related  by  the  dominant  and  subject  people  It  appears, 
however,  that  the  Algonkins  were  at  first  successful  and 
threatened  the  extinction  of  their  rivals.  This  danger 
suggested  the  confederation  of  the  Iroquois,  a  measure 
which  these  astute  natives  were  wise  enough  to  accom- 
plish, and  from  this  period  their  power  began  to  increase 
among  the  Indian  nations.  Dates  in  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  North  American  aborigines  are  of  the 
most  uncertain  character,  and  when  the  complete  ascend- 
ency of  the  Iroquois  was  affected,  and  whether 
accomplished  by  force  of  arms  or  artifice,  are  still 
unsettled  questions. 

At  the  time  of  William  Penn's  coming  to  America,  the 
Iroquois  exercised  almost  unquestioned  authority  over 
the  aboriginal  occupants  of  the  country  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  and  as  conquerors  of  the  different  tribes, 
claimed  the  absolute  ownership  of  this  vast  territory. 
Until  the  coming  of  the  Europeans  they  maintained  their 
supremacy  by  a  policy  not  unlike  that  of  the  Romans. 
Warlike  tribes  were  divided  and  kept  employed  in  further 
conquests  or  in  reducing  refractory  nations,  while  all  were 
placed  under  a  close  surveillance  and  some  form  of 
tribute.  But  when  the  whites  established  themselves 
upon  the  continent  and  demonstrated  their  power,  many 
of  the  subject  tribes  were  quick  to  perceive  how  they 
might  profit  b)^  their  friendship.  Emboldened  by  such 
alliances,  some  of  the  Algonkin  tribes  resisted  the  bound- 
less claims  of  the  Iroquois,  and  much  of  the  bloodshed 
and  ravages  of  war  inflicted  upon  the  early  settlements 
in  all  parts  of  the  country  resulted  from  a  too  general 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  1 5 

neglect  of  this  change  of  attitude  in  the  subject  nations. 
Penn,  fortunately  wiser  in  this  respect  than  many  of  his 
contemporaries,  not  only  extinguished  the  claims  of  the 
dominant  nation,  but  repeatedly  purchased  the  rights  of 
the  native  occupants  and  thus  saved  his  colony  from 
much  of  the  harassing  experiences  which  fell  to  the  lot  of 
less  favored  provinces. 

Happily,  Bucks  county  was  never  called  upon  to  resist 
the  ravages  of  an  Indian  war  in  her  own  borders.  At  one 
time,  when  depredations  seemed  imminent,  through  the 
influence  of  the  provincial  authorities,  Pennsylvania 
became  a  neutral  zone  between  the  Iroquois  and  southern 
Indians,  and  over  which  the  hereditary  foes  traveled  in 
quest  of  trophies.  Neither  of  these  antagonists  fully 
respected  the  neutrality  of  the  Delawares,  and  thus  beset 
on  all  sides,  these  tribes  began  to  meditate  a  revenge 
which  would  have  involved  the  savages  along  the  whole 
border.  The  settlements  could  not  fail  to  suffer  in  such 
a  contest,  which  might  eventually  have  been  directed 
chiefly  against  them.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  gov- 
ernors of  Virginia,  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  New 
York,  this  threatened  danger  was  averted,  and  at  a  meet- 
ing with  the  Indians,  a  new  deed  was  executed,  which 
released  all  the  lands  between  the  Delaware  and  Susque- 
hanna, and  ''from  Duck  creek  to  the  mountains  on  this 
side  of  Lechay." — Battles'  History  of  Bucks  County. 

The  Children  of  the  Algonkin  Indians. — The  children 
were  washed  in  cold  water  as  soon  as  born,  and  to  harden 
them  they  were  plunged  into  the  river.  They  could  walk 
at  about  nine  months.  The  boys  fished  until  about  fif- 
teen, when  they  began  to  hunt,  and  if  they  had  given 
proof  of  their  manhood  by  a  large  return  of  skins,  they 
were  allowed  to  marry,  usually  at  about  seventeen  or 
eighteen.  The  girls  remained  with  their  mothers  and 
helped  to  hoe  the  ground,  plant  corn  and  bear  burdens. 
They  married  at  about  thirteen  or  fourteen.  The  homes 
of  the  Indians  were  made  of  mats  or  the  bark  of  trees  set 
upon  poles  not  higher  than  a  man,  with  grass  or  re.eds 
spread  on  the  ground  to  lie  upon.  The  Indians  lived 
chiefly  on   maize   or   Indian   corn   roasted   in   the   ashes, 


1 6  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI<  BOROUGH. 

sometimes  beaten  and  boiled  with  water,  called  hominy. 
They  also  ate  beans  and  peas.  The  woods  and  the  river 
furnished  the  greater  part  of  their  provisions.  They  ate 
but  two  meals  a  day,  morning  and  evening.  They 
mourned  a  whole  year,  but  it  was  no  other  than  blacking 
their  faces. 

Early  Settlements  on  the  Delaware — In  1624  the  Dutch 
sailed  up  the  Delaware  and  erected  a  trading  post  near 
the  site  of  Gloucester,  N.  J.,  which  they  dignified  by 
naming  Fort  Nassaw.  The  Swedish  West  India  Com- 
pany followed  in  1638,  with  two  vessels  laden  with 
Swedish  colonists  and  supplies.  They  sailed  up  the  bay 
and  river  to  the  mouth  of  a  stream  which  they  called 
Christina  and  proceeding  up  its  course  some  three  miles 
selected  a  site  for  a  colony.  In  1640  the  English  settled 
at  Salem,  N.  J.,  but  their  trading  post  was  burned  by  the 
Dutch  and  the  people  removed  with  no  excess  of  gentle- 
ness. The  Salem  colony  was  subsequently  driven  off 
with  the  approval  of  the  Swedes,  if  not  with  their  active 
co-operation.  Then  followed  a  period  of  unrest,  during 
which  the  two  nations,  the  Dutch  and  Swedes,  struggled 
for  supremacy. 

In  1664  the  English  sailed  up  the  river,  and  with  a 
superior  force  and  little  ceremony,  brought  the  colonies 
under  subjection.  In  1673  hostilities  broke  out  between 
England  and  Holland,  and  early  in  August,  a  Dutch  fleet 
sailed  into  New  York  bay  intent  on  conquest.  New  York 
surrendered  without  resistance,  and  on  September  12, 
delegates  from  the  Delaware  settlements  appeared  in 
New  York  and  made  submission,  and  the  Dutch  were  once 
more  constructively  in  possession  of  their  former  domain 
in  the  "new  world."  The  war  closed  in  1674  and  the 
terms  of  peace  stipulating  for  the  return  of  all  places 
captured  during  the  hostilities,  brought  the  colonies  again 
in  the  possession  of  the  English. 

During  this  period  of  conquest,  the  settlements  were 
constantly  pushing  northward.  In  1677  the  Kent,  with 
about  two  hundred  and  thirty  souls  on  board,  arrived  at 
Newcastle  and  soon  afterward,  landed  at  Raccoon  creek, 
in  New  Jersey.     It  was  this  company  that,  a  little  later 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I7 

in  the  same  year,  founded  Burlington,  the  lots  and  streets 
being  laid  out  by  Richard  Noble.  In  October  the  ship 
"Martha,"  with  one  hundred  and  fourteen  emigrants,  and 
in  November  the  "Willing  Mind,"  with  sixty  or  seventy 
passengers  arrived.  All  these  were  destined  for  the 
settlements  east  of  the  river  and  first  landed  there,  though 
many  subsequently  removed  to  the  other  side.  It  was 
this  year,  which  marks  the  advent  of  the  first  permanent 
settlement  in  the  limits  which  now  form  the  boundaries 
of  Bucks  county. 

Primitive  Farming. — As  the  early  history  of  Bristol 
and  its  people,  is  contiguous  with  the  settlement  of  the 
county,  we  may  therefore  learn  from  the  customs  and 
habits  of  the  earliest  settlers,  how  the  founders  of  Bristol 
lived  in  that  ancient  formative  period  of  the  town's 
history. 

For  many  years,  while  it  was  a  question  of  bread  for 
themselves  and  families,  our  Bucks  county  ancestors 
farmed  in  a  primitive  way.  While  the  fathers  and  sons 
cleared  the  land  and  made  the  crops,  the  mothers  and 
daughters  attended  to  indoor  work.  They  picked,  carded 
and  spun  the  wool  for  clothing,  and  swingled,  hatcheled 
and  spun  the  flax,  quilted,  and  did  many  other  things 
that  fell  to  the  lot  of  woman  in  the  new  country,  besides 
frequently  assisting  the  men  in  their  farm  work.  The 
children  of  the  first  settlers  were  accustomed  to  hardship, 
and  were  noted  for  their  strength  and  vigor.  In  that  day 
there  were  few  or  no  barns,  the  grain  was  stacked  and 
threshed  with  the  flail  on  the  ground.  Wheat  was  the 
main  crop,  which  was  carried  a  distance  on  horseback  to 
mill  through  the  woods  along  Indian  paths.  The  horses 
traveled  in  trains,  tied  head  and  tail,  like  the  pack  mules 
among  the  Andes,  with  a  man  riding  or  leading  the  fore- 
most mule.  Wheat  was  the  only  article  for  market  until 
there  was  a  demand  in  Philadelphia  for  butter,  cheese 
and  poultry.  In  1720  most  of  the  original  tracts  were 
settled,  and  to  some  extent  improved.  The  farms  were 
divided  into  large  fields,  and  pretty  well  fenced.  Low 
and  swampy  ground  was  always  cleared  for  meadow,  but 
the  plow  was  seldom  used  to  prepare  new  land.     But 


1 8  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

little  grass  was  raised  for  years,  and  then  red  and  white 
clover  were  propagated  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other 
kinds.  All  their  domestic  animals  were  so  badly  housed 
and  fed  in  winter  that  by  spring  they  were  almost  in  a 
starving  condition.  In  the  summer  they  lived  in  the 
woods,  and  in  the  spring  were  not  infrequently  lost  in  the 
bogs,  hunting  for  early  pasture.  Cows  were  scarce  and 
high  for  a  number  of  years,  selling  for  thirty  or  forty 
dollars  a  head  when  wheat  was  only  thirty  cents  a  bushel. 
The  horses  used  for  all  purposes  were  of  the  "Wood" 
breed,  raised  from  those  brought  originally  from  New 
England,  gentle,  hardy  and  easy  keepers.  The  English 
horse  introduced  at  a  later  day,  was  larger  and  more 
elegant  in  carriage. 

The  Early  Settlers  Lived  Well. — The  early  settlers 
lived  well  in  their  log  cabins,  as  soon  as  the  era  of  neces- 
sity had  passed.  They  were  both  well-fed  and  well- 
clothed,  but  not  in  fine  garments.  The  women  manufac- 
tured the  clothing  of  the  family  from  wool  and  flax,  and 
milk,  butter  and  cheese  became  plenty  for  domestic  use 
when  fodder  could  be  procured  to  keep  stock  through  the 
winter.  Hogs  were  raised  and  fattened,  and  the  forest 
furnished  game.  Mush  and  milk  were  an  universal  dish. 
Pancakes,  made  of  thin  batter  of  flour  and  eggs  and  other 
ingredients,  b'aked  in  a  pan  over  the  fire,  were  in  every 
house.  The  housewife,  or  maid,  prided  herself  on  the 
dexterity  with  which  she  could  turn  the  cake,  by  tossing 
it  up  the  wide  chimney  and  catching  it  in  the  pan  again 
as  it  came  down.  But  little  tea  and  coffee  were  drunk 
for  the  first  seventy  years,  and  they  did  not  come  into 
common  use  until  between  1750  and  1760.  At  first  they 
were  only  used  by  the  wealthy,  and  that  on  Sunday. 
In  their  stead  a  tea  was  made  of  garden  herbs,  and  a 
coffee  of  rye  and  wheat  burned  to  a  brown.  Children 
went  barefooted  half  the  year,  and  farmers  through  the 
summer.  Indian  meal  was  first  exported  to  the  West 
Indies,  and  wheat  to  France,  about  1767,  which  stimu- 
lated their  production.  About  this  period  potatoes  began 
to  be  raised  in  quantities,  and  were  fed  to  both  cattle  and 
hogs.     The  destructive  Hessian  fly  made  its  appearance 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  I9 

about  1780,  previous  to  which  the  wheat  crop  was  seldom, 
if  ever,  known  to  fail. 

The  Homes  of  the  First  Settlers. — The  homes  of  the 
first  settlers,  upon  the  arrival  of  William  Penn,  while 
still  plain,  exhibited  the  mark  of  thrift.  The  Swedes  still 
retained  their  log  houses,  with  doors  low  and  wide  and 
chimneys  placed  in  the  corner  of  the  structure,  but  here 
and  there  a  planked  ceiling  and  a  glass  window  served  to 
mark  the  improvement  in  taste  and  circumstances.  The 
dwellings  of  the  English  were  generally  framed  struc- 
tures covered  with  clapboards.  A  part  of  the  material 
was  brought  from  the  "old  country"  by  many  emigrants, 
but  the  clapboards  were  the  product  of  the  new  land, 
either  riven  out  by  hand  or  sawed  at  the  mills  already 
erected  in  the  New  Jersey  settlements.  These  were  com- 
monly put  on  green  and  subsequently  shrunk,  leaving 
openings  a  half  inch  wide.  In  the  case  of  the  "best 
people,"  a  liberal  application  of  clay  served  to  keep  the 
wind  away,  but  added  rather  to  the  comfort  than  to  the 
beauty  of  the  building.  Dutch  coins  and  measures  were 
still  used  in  the  common  expression  of  values,  social  cus- 
toms bore  the  same  stamp  of  conservatism,  and  the  mixed 
population,  slowly  progressive,  viewed  innovations  as  an 
infringement  of  their  privileges. 

The  Site  of  Bristol. — In  1681  Samuel  Clift,  a  recent 
emigrant  to  New  Jersey,  obtained  from  Sir  Edmond 
Andros,  Provincial  Governor  of  New  York,  a  grant  for 
two  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres,  covering  the  site  of. 
Bristol,  and  soon  after  became  a  resident  here.  The 
granting  of  the  warrant  for  this  tract  of  land,  was  con- 
tiguous with  the  date  of  the  Proprietory  Charter  of 
Charles  II,  to  the  Founder  of  Pennsylvania  (4th  of 
March,  1681)  ;  and  about  four  months  prior  to  the  condi- 
tions and  agreements  entered  into  between  William  Penn 
and  the  "adventurers  and  purchasers  in  the  same 
province,"  July  1681).  The  brief  recital  of  this  grant  of 
Governor  Andros  is  for  "a  large  tract  of  land  lying  on 
the  Delaware  river,  at  the  mouth  of  •  Mill  creek,  and 
extending  up  said  river  and  creek,"  etc.,  under  which  title 
the  warrantee  seated  and  improved  the  land.     By  deed 


20  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

dated  September  23,  1682,  Samuel  Clift  devises  this  tract 
in  fee  simple  to  Joseph  English.    Clift  died  in  1684. 

The  "Ferry  Against  Burlington." — Shortly  after 
Samuel  Clift  became  a  resident  of  Pennsylvania  (1681), 
he  established  the  ferry  between  Bristol  and  Burlington. 
Upon  his  death  in  April,  1684,  his  executor,  William 
Biles,  leased  the  ferry-house  for  two  years  to  Michael 
Hurst.  The  ferry  was  recognized  by  the  provincial  coun- 
cil in  1709,  upon  petition  of  John  Sotcher,  who  owned  the 


FERRY-BOAT,     WILUAM     E.     DORON,     (19II). 

landing  on  the  Pennsylvania  side.  The  assembly  of  New 
Jersey  passed  a  similar  act  in  1714.  The  first  mention 
concerning  it  in  the  town  records  occurs  in  the  minutes 
of  a  meeting  held  May  28,  1750,  when  a  complaint  was 
made  that  the  public  suffered  "great  inconvenience,  and 
that,  therefore,  some  measures  for  regulating  the  said 
ferry  and  preventing  those  inconveniences  is  of  absolute 
necessity."  It  appeared  that  the  sense  of  the  meeting 
"without  a  dissenting  voice,"  was  that  the  ferry  was  the 
undoubted  right  of  the  corporation,  which  should  there- 
fore receive  possession   from  the  tenant.     The   records 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  21 

further  state :  "Patrick  O'Hanlan  being  called  in  and 
required  to  hold  the  same  as  a  tenant  under  this  corpora- 
tion has  consented  thereto  and  has  agreed  with  this 
present  town's  meeting  for  the  use  thereof  for  one  year 
commencing  the  first  day  of  April  past,  at  the  rent  of 
twelve  pounds  per  annum."  It  would  seem,  from  subse- 
quent devejopments  that  this  arrangement  was  not 
advantageous  to  Mr.  O'Hanlan.  It  appears  that  in  Sep- 
tember, 1753,  he  was  in  debt  for  the  rent  of  nearly  two 
years.  Ennion  Williams,  the  borough  treasurer,  was 
directed  to  call  upon  him  and  compel  payment,  if  neces- 
sary. O'Hanlan  appeared  before  the  council  in  person, 
and  stated  that  his  profits  did  not  amount  to  six  pounds 
in  the  past  year.  He  was  allowed  an  abatement;  and 
that  the  business  might  be  made  more  remunerative,  the 
following  schedule  of  rates  was  adopted :  "Single  foot 
passengers,  six  pence ;  two  persons  at  the  same  time,  four 
pence,  and  three  or  more,  three  pence  each ;  a  single  horse 
and  rider,  one  shilling,  and  any  greater  number,  nine 
pence;  a  single  ox,  one  shilling  three  pence,  and  any 
greater  number,  one  shilling ;  sheep,  two  pence  each,  hogs 
(alive),  six  pence;  dead,  three  pence;  four-wheeled  car- 
riages, with  two  horses  and  one  person,  five  shillings; 
two-wheeled  carriages  with  a  single  horse  and  one  per- 
son, two  shillings  and  six  pence";  and  in  every  case  the 
rates  were  increased  one-half  after  ten  o'clock  at  night. 
This  code  of  regulations  remained  in  force  under  suc- 
cesive  lessees  for  many  years. 

[The  writer  asked  Mr.  Wm.  E.  Doron,  the  present 
owner,  for  some  supplemental  history,  but  was  informed 
that  all  the  old  records  were  destroyed  in  a  fire,  which 
occurred  a  few  years  ago.] 

Development  of  Roads. — The  "King's  Path,"  authorized 
by  an  order  of  the  early  court  in  1675,  extended  across 
the  county,  and  subsequently  the  various  settlements 
were  probably  connected  with  it  by  local  ways  of  travel. 
In  May,  1685,  a  road  was  ordered  to  be  laid  out  "from 
Wrightstown  to  the  ferry-house  over  against  Burling- 
ton," and  in  1688  the  grand  jury  called  attention  to  the 
necessity  of  a  road  "from  the  upper  plantation  above  the 


22  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

Falls  of  the  Delaware  to  the  landing  over  against  Bur- 
lington." In  the  winter  of  1691,  "the  necessity  of  a  way 
from  Newton  to  Burlington  ferry,"  was  suggested,  but  it 
was  not  until  1693  that  it  was  laid  out.  Two  years  later 
the  return  of  a  road  "from  the  upper  plantations  above 
Falls  of  the  Delaware  to  the  landing  over  against  Bur- 
lington," was  made.  It  was  projected  in  1688,  but  the 
unsettled  character  of  the  country  delayed  its  completion, 
and  when  finally  laid  out  was  indicated  by  marked  trees. 
In  1696  a  road  was  laid  out  from  the  "'mill  dam  in  Buck- 
ingham (Bristol),  to  the  common  landing  by  the  ferry 
house,  in  a  straight  line."  These  roads  were  scarcely 
more  than  bridal-paths,  and  it  was  not  until  1695  that 
the  term  "cartways"  was  used  in  reference  to  the  county 
roads,  which  probably  indicates  the  period  when  wheeled 
vehicles  were  introduced  in  the  county.  The  location  of 
the  ferry  here  at  that  early  day  was  a  prominent  consider- 
ation in  determining  the  terminal  points  of  the  various 
"ways." 

Thus  will  be  seen  the  methods  by  which  the  roadways 
leading  into  Bristol  were  laid  out.  The  ferry  had  much 
to  do  with  the  attraction  of  travel  in  this  direction,  in 
those  early  days,  and  a  few  years  later  was  an  important 
factor  in  the  consideration  of  a  site  for  the  market  town 
of  Bristol. 

The  King's  Highway. — The  road  from  Philadelphia  to 
Morrisville,  via  Bristol,  was  ordered  to  be  laid  out  by  the 
Provincial  Council,  at  a  meeting  held  in  Philadelphia, 
November  19,  1686.  It  was  called  the  King's  Highway, 
and  was  the  first  public  road  laid  out  that  ran  through 
Bucks  County.  Upon  the  bed  of  this  road  was  built  the 
Bristol  and  Frankford  Turnpike,  incorporated  in  1803. 
The  turnpike  was  commenced  in  1804  and  finished  to 
Bristol  in  1810,  and  completed  to  Morrisville  in  1812,  at 
a  cost  of  $209,300.  During  the  time  the  stage  line  from 
Philadelphia  to  New  York  ran  over  the  road,  it  paid  a 
ten  per  cent,  dividend. 

The  mile  stones  placed  along  the  road  had  in  addition 
to  the  figures  placed  upon  them,  the  letter  "T,"  so  that 
travelers   might   know   how   many   turnpike   miles   they 


A  HISTORY  01?  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  23 

had  traveled.  In  General  Davis'  History  of  Bucks 
County,  it  is  stated  that  the  milestones  were  set  up  by 
an  insurance  company  at  a  cost  of  thirty-three  pounds. 
The  distance  by  the  King's  Highway  from  Bristol  to 
Market  Street,  Philadelphia,  was  twenty  miles. 

It  was  originally  intended  to  run  the  road  on  a  straight 
line  through  the  borough  from  Otter  Creek  bridge  to  the 
Bloomsdale  ferry  house,  situate  on  the  river  bank,  now 
owned  by  the  heirs  of  David  Landreth,  opposite  their 
seed  farm. 

The  proprietors  of  the  ''General  Brown,"  ''King  of 
Prussia,"  "George  the  Second"  and  the  "Cross  Keys" 
hotels,  whose  public  houses  were  located  east  of  the  pro- 
posed pike  road,  petitioned  the  borough  council  to 
appoint  a  committee  to  wait  upon  the  directors  of  the 
road  and  request  that  a  change  in  the  line  be  made  at 
the  intersection  of  Otter  and  Mill  Streets,  so  that  the 
pike  would  run  down  Mill  to  Radclifife  street,  thence  to 
Hollow  Creek,  the  hotels  and  principal  business  houses 
being  located  on  these  streets. 

The  directors  agreed  to  make  the  change,  providing 
the  borough  would  pay  them  $5,000,  and  build  and  keep 
in  repair  the  culverts  needed  on  the  line  through  the 
borough.  The  borough  council  accepted  the  proposal 
and  the  council  was  charged  to  accommodate  the  owners 
of  property  on  Mill  and  Radcliflfe  streets. 

Within  the  last  year  the  Society  of  Colonial  Dames 
has  undertaken  the  task  of  preserving  the  old  mile  stones, 
which  still  remain  along  the  course  of  the  King's  High- 
way. The  only  stone  in  Bristol  stands  at  the  corner  of 
RadclifTe  and  Walnut  streets,  on  the  property  now  owned 
by  Bristol  Lodge,  No.  970,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  will  be  pro- 
tected and  preserved  by  that  society. 

Social  Progress. — There  is  little  upon  which  to  base 
any  estimate  of  the  social  progress  of  the  county  at  this 
time,  and  especially  so  of  that  part  east  of  the  Poquessing 
Creek,  but  there  is  evidence  which  indicates  the  presence 
of  the  Swedish  schoolmaster  even  among  the  most  ad- 
vanced settlements,  and  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the 
pioneers  to  avail  themselves  of  his  services.     The  com- 


24  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

munity  east  of  the  Poquessing,  which  included  the  site 
of  Bristol,  was  not  yet  able  to  support  a  place  of  worship 
in  its  midst.  Those  who  preferred  the  established  church, 
were  obliged  to  resort  to  Wicaso,  where  a  log  fort  had 
been  fitted  up  as  a  place  of  worship,  in  1677,  for  the 
Swedish  congregation,  over  which  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Fabrituis  presided.  The  Falls  settlement  was  generally 
composed  of  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  Their 
church  business  was  conducted  at  Burlington,  and  they 
often  went  there  to  attend  religious  services,  but  they 
doubtless  also  had  services  in  their  private  houses  until 
a  regular  meeting  was  established  some  two  years  later. 

A  History  of  Burlington  Island. — Many  persons  in 
passing  up  the  River  Delaware,  when  opposite  Burling- 
ton Island,  express  their  admiration  of  its  beauty,  and 
wonder  that  it  has  never  been  built  up  with  handsome 
villas. 

Perhaps  a  short  history  of  the  occupancy  and  settle- 
ment of  the  island  in  "y^  olden  times,"  may  be  interesting 
to  our  readers  who  have  lived  within  sight  of  it  for  many 
years,  but  have  never  learned  its  history.  An  interesting 
account  of  the  early  settlement  of  the  island  by  the 
whites,  can  be  found  in  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine,  Vol. 
10;  also  in  Davis'  History  of  Bucks  County. 

The  Island  was  in  possession  of  the  Indians  previous  to 
1616,  when  we  find  from  the  history  of  the  Delaware 
River,  that  in  that  year  three  Dutch  traders  started  from 
Fort  Nassau,  Albany,  to  explore  the  Delaware,  down 
which  they  traveled  to  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill,  stop- 
ping at  the  islands  to  establish  trading  posts  with  the 
Indians.  They  were  made  prisoners  by  the  Minquas, 
but  were  afterward  ransomed  by  Captain  Hendrickson, 
who  gave  in  exchange  for  them,  blankets,  beads  and 
kettles.  The  Indians  held  possession  of  the  island  until 
1677,  when  Governor  Andros,  of  New  York,  authorized 
Sheriff  Cantwell  to  purchase  all  the  land  below  the  Falls, 
including  the  islands.  The  Indians  refused  to  sell  until 
they  were  paid  the  balance  due  them  for  lands  sold  at 
the  Falls.  The  governor  ordered  an  investigation  to  be 
made,  when  it  was  found  that  the  balance  due  was  five 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  25 

guns,  thirty  hoes  and  one  anchor  of  rum.    He  ordered  the 
claim  settled  at  once,  and  there  was  no  further  trouble. 

These  same  Indians  were  part  of  the  tribe  that  was 
settled  near  Crosswicks,  among  whom  were  many  of  the 
Delawares.  They  sold  all  their  lands  in  New  Jersey  to 
the  governor,  and  removed  to  Northern  New  York, 
Some  time  about  the  year  1823,  a  delegation  of  these 
Indians  visited  Trenton  and  waited  on  the  governor. 
They  informed  him  that  when  their  fathers  sold  all  their 
lands  to  the  state,  they  did  not  include  the  right  to  gun 
and  fish  in  the  waters  of  the  state,  and  they  had  come  to 
dispose  of  that  right.  The  governor  inquired  how  much 
they  wanted  for  their  right  and  they  replied  $3,000.  The 
matter  was  submitted  to  the  Legislature,  and  upon 
investigation  it  was  found  that  the  statement  of  the 
Indians  was  true.  An  appropriation  was  made  and  the 
Indians  went  home  rejoicing.  A  grand  old  state  is  New 
Jersey ! 

"The  Indian  hunter  here  his  shelter  found; 
Here  cut  his  bow,  and  shaped  his  arrows  true; 
Here  built  his  wigwam  and  his  bark  canoe; 
Spear'd  the  salmon,  leaping  up  the  stream, 
And  slew  the  deer  without  the  rifle  ball. 
Here  the  young  squaw,  her  cradling  tree  would  choose; 
Sing  her  chant,  to  hush  her  swart  pappoose; 
Here  stain  her  quills,  and  string  her  trickets  rude, 
And  weave  her  warrior's  wampum  in  the  wood. 
No  more  shall  they  thy  welcome  waters  bless; 
No  more  their  forms,  thy  moonlit  banks  shall  press; 
No  more  be  heard,  from  mountain  or  from  grove 
His  whoops  of  slaughter,  or  her  songs  of  love. 
A  mighty   Chief,   whose   hundred  bands 
Ranged  freely  over  these  shaded  lands; 
But  now  there's  scarcely  left  a  trace, 
To  mind  one  of  that  friendly  race." 

Davis,  in  his  history,  says:  "Burlington  Island,  in  the 
Delaware  opposite  Bristol,  came  early  into  notice.  It 
was  recognized  as  belonging  to  the  West  Shore  from  its 
discovery,  and  was  included  in  Markham's  first  purchase. 
The  Indians  called  it  Matiniconk,  after  the  name  of  their 
chief.  It  was  known  by  that  name  down  to  the  time  of 
Penn's  arrival.  It  is  so  named  in  Lindstrom's  map,  pub- 
lished in  1654.    When  the  English  took  possession  cf  the 


26  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI,  BOROUGH. 

Delaware,  it  was  in  the  possession  of  one  Peter  Alricks, 
a  German,  and  was  confiscated  by  the  English  Govern- 
ment with  all  his  property,  when  in  1668,  it  was  again 
restored  to  Alricks  by  order  of  Governor  Lovelace.  Dur- 
ing the  time  it  was  in  confiscation  it  was  taken  possession 
of  by  Captain  John  Carre,  and  for  a  time  was  called 
Carre's  Island — said  to  be  in  consideration  of  his  brave 
conduct  in  capturing  Fort  Delaware.  There  was  a 
frontier  military  and  trading  post  established  on  the 
lower  point  of  the  island.  Governor  Lovelace  wrote  to 
Captain  William  Tom,  October  6,  1671,  who  was  in 
charge  of  affairs  on  the  Delaware,  to  have  the  Matiniconk 
House  put  in  good  order,  and  to  increase  the  guard,  so 
it  would  make  a  strong  defense  in  case  of  attack. 

''It  was  on  this  island  that  Peter  Alricks'  two  servants 
were  murdered  in  1672.  It  was  said  that  the  expense  of 
burying  the  two  Dutchmen  was  one  hundred  and  six 
guilders,  and  was  paid  by  Jonas  Neilson ;  but  the  Upland 
Court  refused  to  reimburse  him. 

''In  1678,  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  who  succeeded  Governor 
Lovelace,  leased  the  island  to  Robert  Stacy  for  seven 
years,  and  Sheriff  Cantwell  put  him  in  possession.  Stacy 
and  George  Hutchinson,  who  were  interested  in  the  lease, 
conveyed  the  island  to  the  Town  of  Burlington. 

"Thater  and  Lanker,  explorers,  who  passed  down  the 
Delaware  in  1679,  in  their  report,  say  the  island  formerly 
belonged  to  the  Dutch  Governor,  who  made  it  a  pleasure 
garden,  built  good  houses  on  it,  dyked  and  rowed  and 
planted  a  large  piece  of  meadow,  from  which  he  gathered 
more  grain  than  from  any  other  cleared  land  on  the 
island. 

"It  was  rented  to  the  Quakers,  and  during  their  occu- 
pancy George  Fox,  the  distinguished  Quaker,  with  some 
friends  visited  the  island.  They  left  Middletown  Harbor, 
N.  J.,  having  reached  there  on  a  sloop  from  Long  Island. 
They  traveled  through  the  woods  piloted  by  the  Indians, 
and  reached  the  Delaware  at  Leasy's  Point,  N.  J.,  oppo- 
site the  upper  end  of  the  island,  stopped  at  the  house  of 
one  Peter  Jegou,  and  the  next  morning  crossed  over  to 
Burlington  Island,  and  then  to  the  mainland,  just  above 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  27 

Bristol.  He  says  he  and  his  friends  were  taken  over  in 
Indian  canoes  and  the  horses  swam  over. 

''Among  the  earliest  acts  of  the  Legislature  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  one  to  confirm  this  island  to  Burlington,  the 
rents  and  proceeds  to  be  applied  to  maintain  a  free  school 
for  the  education  of  the  youth  in  said  town. 

"In  171 1  the  Legislative  Council  of  New  Jersey  passed 
an  act  authorizing  Lewis  Morris  to  take  up  the  island  for 
the  Hon.  Robert  Hunter,  who  purchased  it  the  same  year. 
It  was  surveyed,  and  found  to  contain  400  acres.  The 
inhabitants  of  Burlington  brought  suit  against  Hunter  to 
recover  possession,  and  he  was  dispossessed  in  1729. 

"In  1722,  when  Governor  Burnett,  of  New  York,  occu- 
pied the  island  as  a  country  seat,  he  had  vistas  cut 
through  the  woods,  up  and  down  the  river  and  across 
from  the  creek  to  the  river.  In  the  olden  times  the  people 
of  Burlington  and  Bristol  made  it  a  place  of  resort  for 
recreation. 

"In  1830,  Colonel  William  R.  Johnson,  of  Petersburg, 
Va.,  the  Napoleon  of  the  Turf,  visited  the  island  with  a 
view  of  purchasing  it  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 
race  course  and  a  stud  farm.  Upon  examination  it  was 
found  the  authorities  of  Burlington  could  not  sell  without 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  when  the  project  was 
abandoned. 

"Some  years  after,  the  Lehigh  Coal  Company  wanted 
to  purchase  the  lower  end  for  a  coal  depot.  Some  of  the 
wealthy  men  of  Burlington,  fearing  it  might  be  a  detri- 
ment to  their  general  plans  for  improvement  in  the  city, 
formed  a  syndicate,  of  which  George  W.  South  was  at 
the  head,  obtained  an  act  from  the  Legislature  authoriz- 
ing the  authorities  of  Burlington  to  sell  to  them  one-half 
of  the  island  for  $20,000,  the  money  to  be  invested  for 
the  support  of  the  free  school.  It  was  a  good  thing  for 
Burlington,  but  a  bad  investment  for  the  syndicate,  as 
they  sold  it  after  holding  it  over  thirty  years  and  laying 
out  considerable  money  in  improvements,  for  $11,000  to 
a  company  who  accidentally  discovered  a  bed  of  mould- 
ing sand,  said  to  be  the  very  best  for  heavy  castings  that 
had  been  found  in  any  part  of  the  country.  Judging  from 
the  number  of  vessels  and  barges  seen  loading  there 
3 


28  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

during  the  boating  season,  we  infer  that  the  purchase 
curned  out  to  be  a  profitable  investment.  There  was  for 
many  years  a  valuable  shad  fishery  on  the  west  shore, 
which  the  freshet  of  1841  destroyed. 

''The  river  Delaware  has  had  many  names.  The 
Indians  called  it  Marisquiton,  Pautuxat,  Lenape,  Whihi- 
tuck.  The  Dutch  called  it  Zyndt,  or  South  River,  Nassau, 
Prince  Hendricks  and  Charles  River.  The  Swedes  named 
it  New  Swedland  Stream ;  it  was  also  called  New  River. 
The  English  named  it  Delaware,  after  Lord  De  La 
Ware. 

The  Coming  of  William  Penn. — Penn  landed  in 
America  in  1682.  The  manor  of  Pennsbury  was  laid  out 
in  1683,  on  the  Delaware  River,  in  the  southeastern  part 
of  Falls  Township,  and  consisted  of  8,431  acres.  Penn 
designed  this  for  his  country  seat,  and  spared  neither 
pains  nor  expense  in  fitting  it  up ;  but  he  was  destined  to 
be  disappointed  in  his  plans,  and  after  a  short  occupancy, 
he  left  it  in  the  care  of  his  agent,  not  to  return  to  it. 
Three  hundred  acres  were  reserved  for  the  grounds  of  the 
"palace,"  but  the  rest  was  sold  from  time  to  time  in 
parcels  varying  from  fifty  to  more  than  6,000  acres.  In 
1703,  the  manor  house,  with  its  ground  was  settled  upon 
the  elder  branch  of  the  family,  and  remained  in  the  pos- 
session of  Penn's  heirs  until  1792,  when  it  was  sold  to 
Robert  Crozier.  Bache's  History,  published  in  1853, 
gives  the  following  interesting  account  of  Pennsbury: 

"Fading  remembrances  of  Pennsbury!  Now  quiet, 
changed  and  neglected ;  where  once  the  forest  sires  of  a 
noble  race  oft  had  met  in  friendly  covenant,  with  the 
solemnity  of  worship  and  the  joyfulness  of  dancing,  unit- 
ing in  council  and  in  sacred  compact  with  the  white  faces 
who  have  supplanted  them,  I  cannot  pass  unnoticed  thy 
almost  renowned  retreat. 

"The  old  mansion-house,  which  was  by  some  called 
'Penn's  Palace,'  in  those  early  days,  was  built  in  1682-3, 
at  a  cost  of  £7,000.  A  large  portion  of  the  materials, 
especially  for  the  ornamental  parts,  were  sent  from 
England  by  William  Penn.  The  letters  of  instruction 
to  his  friends  having  charge  of  the  buildings  and  in  laying 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  29 

out  and  improving  the  grounds,  bespeak  the  deep  interest 
he  felt  in  having  everything  about  his  manor  done  in 
close  conformity  with  his  taste  and  wishes.  But,  alas, 
few  and  troubled  were  the  days  he  was  permitted  there  to 
spend.  Not  until  after  an  almost  compulsory  absence  of 
fifteen  years  in  England,  did  he  reside  at  Pennsbury, 
where  he  remained  less  than  two  years  (1700-1),  during 
which  period  he  was  much  absent  at  Philadelphia  and 
New  Castle,  with  his  Council. 

"All  that  has  escaped  the  decay  of  years  and  the  ever 
shaping  hand  of  man,  to  mark  the  original  aspect  of  the 
spot,  is  that  familiarly  remembered  as  the  'malt  house.' 
At  Pennsbury,  in  1701,  on  the  eve  of  the  second  departure 
of  the  Proprietor,  for  England  (a  memorable  departure, 
for  he  was  never  again  enabled  to  return),  Governor 
Penn,  with  a  number  of  his  Council,  held  one  of  the 
largest  Indian  councils  that  had  been  convened  in  the 
Province;  which  we  find  recorded  as  having  closed  with 
'music,  worship  and  dancing.'  But  now,  how  changed! 
And  these  Lenni  (original)  Lenape  (people),  where  are 
they?  We  are  told  that  the  last  of  the  'Delawares'  (as 
we  have  named  them),  went  off  from  Buckingham  in  a 
body,  in  the  year  1775. 

"Forced   from  the   land   that  gave   them  birth, 
They  dwindle  from  the  face  of  earth." 

"Yes,  they  have  disappeared,  and  Pennsbury  too,  is 
almost  forgotten.  None  have  placed  a  monumental  stone 
to  record  its  name  and  remembrance;  and  while  at  later 
times  our  beautiful  Delaware  is  becoming  studded  with 
its  young  and  rising  towns,  none  have  seconded  the  early 
wished  for  hopes,  which  had  marked  out  Pennsbury 
among  the  first. 

"Tamanend,  the  king  or  chief  of  the  Delawares,  who 
was  an  Indian  much  beloved  and  confided  in  by  William 
Penn,  for  his  integrity  and  many  virtues,  was  buried  near 
a  spring,  south  of  what  is  now  Prospect  Hill  School,  in 
Buckingham  Township,  about  four  miles  from  Doyles- 
town.  He  died  in  a  cabin  in  the  woods,  and  was  buried 
by  the  kindness  of  a  neighbor.  His  grave  was  for  many 
years  marked  by  a  pile  of  stones  thrown  there  to  keep 
animals  from  disinterring  the  body." 


30  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Islands  in  the  Delaware  Below  Bristol. — General  Davis, 
in  his  history  of  Bucks  County,  claims  that  the  rich 
meadows  on  the  Delaware,  below  Bristol,  were  originally 
two  islands,  and  were  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
narrow  channel  that  drained  a  swamp  that  extended  up 
the  creek.  The  smaller  of  these  islands  was  granted  to 
Peter  Alricks,  a  native  of  Groningen,  Holland,  who  was 
the  first  known  landholder  in  this  county,  but  never  lived 
here,  by  Governor  Nicholls,  in  1667 ;  by  Alricks  to  Samuel 
Borden,  in  1682,  and  to  Samuel  Carpenter  in  1688.  The 
last  conveyance  includes  both  islands  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Delaware,  "about  southwest  from  Matiniconk 
(Burlington)  Island,"  the  largest,  once  known  as  Kipp's 
Island  and  by  the  Indian  name  of  Kaomenakinckanck, 
was  a  mile  long  by  half  a  mile  wide;  and  the  smaller, 
known  as  Alricks'  Island,  to  the  north  of  the  larger, 
half  a  mile  long  by  a  quarter  wide.  These  islands  have 
both  since  been  joined  to  the  mainland  by  draining  the 
swamp,  and  now  form  the  valuable  meadows  below 
Bristol. 

The  Town  Plot  Staked  Out. — By  deed  dated  Decem- 
ber 20,  1695,  part  of  the  original  tract  owned  by  Samuel 
Clift,  and  including  that  now  embraced  within  the  cor- 
porate limits  (extending  from  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek  up 
the  Delaware),  and  containing  one-half  of  a  survey  of 
twenty-two  acres,  was  conveyed  to  Anthony  Burton  and 
Thomas  Brock,  and  by  deed  from  Peter  White  and 
Elizabeth,  his  wife,  dated  January  16,  1696,  the  other 
moiety  of  the  above  twenty-two  acres  was  granted  to 
the  said  Burton  and  Brock. 

By  deed  of  partition,  dated  4th  mo.,  8th,  1696,  the  above 
was  divided,  in  severalty,  between  Anthony  Burton  and 
Thomas  Brock. 

.  Under  this  partition  deed,  the  town  plot  appears  to 
have  been  originally  staked  out  into  streets  and  building 
lots,  by  the  aforementioned  Burton,  Brock  and  White, 
the  latter  of  whom  either  retained  or  purchased  the  north- 
western limits,  or  that  portion  now  intersected  by  the 
Delaware  Division  Pa.  Canal.  (Bache's  History  of 
Bristol.) 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  ^I. 

Phineas  Pemberton  and  James  Harrison. — Although 
not  residents  of  Bristol,  yet  as  the  names  of  these  two 
men  appear  so  often  in  its  history,  it  is  thought  that  a 
brief  biography  of  their  lives  will  not  be  amiss.  The 
former  was  a  practical  surveyor  and  being  personally 
interested  in  the  proposed  scheme  of  a  market  town  at 
Bristol,  was  very  properly  chosen  to  draft  the  plan  and 
mark  the  dimensions  of  the  town. 

Phineas  Pemberton  occupied  at  least  four  offices  in  the 
county,  by  appointment,  and  for  nearly  a  score  of  years 
was  the  central  figure  in  all  its  local  affairs.  He  does  not 
appear  to  have  possessed  those  brilliant  gifts  which  make 
men  facile  princeps,  but  he  was  amply  endowed  with 
those  solid  qualities  that  made  him  a  safe  counselor,  and 
a  careful,  painstaking  man  of  affairs.  Whether  this 
multiplication  of  honors  was  occasioned  by  a  scarcity  of 
men  capable  and  willing  to  discharge  these  duties,  or  by 
his  eminent  fitness  to  bear  these  responsibilities,  is  not 
clear,  but  it  is  probable  that  both  considerations  con- 
tributed to  the  result.  In  a  community  where  not  a  few 
of  those  prominent  in  public  affairs  found  it  necessary  to 
"make  their  mark"  when  their  signature  was  required, 
his  literary  attainments  were  considerable,  and  several  of 
his  productions  in  prose  and  verse  give  indication  of  a 
mental  capacity  very  much  superior  to  that  of  the  many 
by  whom  he  was  surrounded.  His  connection  with  the 
leading  families  of  the  new  community,  by  ties  of  kin- 
dred and  the  associations  of  a  common  persecution,  also 
served  to  emphasize  this  prominence.  Born  in  the  same 
year  that  witnessed  the  separation  of  the  Society  of 
Friends  from  the  world,  he  was  early  "visited  with 
religious  impressions,  to  which,  as  he  rendered  obedience, 
he  became  confirmed."  Apprenticed  in  his  fifteenth  year 
to  John  Abraham,  a  Friend  and  grocer  at  Manchester,  he 
was  soon  called  upon  to  suffer  the  penalties  of  his  adher- 
ence to  a  maligned  people.  In  a  letter  to  his  father  in 
1670,  he  describes  the  humiliating  treatment  he  received 
from  the  officers  of  the  law  in  language  which  bears  the 
marks  of  a  calmness  and  self-restraint  characteristic  of 
the  cool  blood  of  age  rather  than  the  impetuosity  of  a 
youth  of  twenty. 


3^  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI,  BOROUGH. 

Prominent  among  the  persecuted  sect  of  that  day  was 
James  Harrison,  a  shoemaker,  of  Stiall-Green,  in  Ches- 
hire. He  was  a  minister,  and  in  1655,  "traveled  in  the 
service  of  the  gospel,  in  the  north  of  England."  In  the 
same  year  he  married  Anne  Heath,  "who  bore  a  daughter 
the  seventh  day  of  the  twenty-fourth  month,  1660,  and 
called  her  name  Phebe ;  and  this  was  she,"  wrote  Phineas 
Pemberton,  "that  fell  to  be  mine,  through  the  Lord's  good 
providence."  In  this  year  Harrison,  William  Yardley, 
James  Brown,  and  their  associates,  were  thrown  into 
prison  at  Burgas-Gate  in  Shrewsbury,  "for  their  testi- 
mony." They  were  released  in  1661,  only  to  be  again 
repeatedly  incarcerated  in  various  prisons.  In  1668  Har- 
rison removed  from  Cheshire,  and  made  his  residence 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  Phineas  Pemberton, 
who,  in  the  following  year,  notes  his  first  meeting  with 
the  one  who  was  destined  to  be  his  wife.  Phoebe  and  her 
mother,  in  passing  through  Manchester,  stopped  at  his 
master's  shop,  and  with  childish  frankness  the  little  girl 
proposed  to  share  some  cherries  she  had  with  one  of  the 
clerks  that  stood  behind  the  counter.  Her  mother  sug- 
gested a  less  partial  distribution  of  her  favors,  but  the 
little  maiden  insisted  in  giving  only  to  one,  and  was 
rewarded  with  "a  paper  of  brown  candy,"  by  the  favored 
youth. 

Phineas  was  at  this  time  unacquainted  with  the  family, 
but  the  little  girl's  marked  preference  for  him  made  an 
impression  that  eventually  ripened  into  a  life-long  affec- 
tion. On  the  expiration  of  his  seven  years'  apprentice- 
ship, he  went  to  Bolton,  where  he  obtained  a  shop  of  his 
own,  and  in  1672  set  up  trade  on  his  own  account.  Here 
he  met  Phoebe  Harrison  again,  when  an  acquaintance 
was  formed,  which  was  consummated  in  marriage  on  the 
first  of  January,  1676.  He  continued  attentive  to  his 
business,  though  frequently  interrupted  and  insulted  by 
the  brutal  persecutions  of  a  bigotted  populace  and  a 
vindictive  law.  But  in  all  these  trials  and  difficulties  he 
commanded  the  respect  of  his  friends  and  neighbors  by 
the  uprightness  and  integrity  of  his  conduct,  and  was  so 
far  publicly  honored  as  to  be  made  overseer  of  the  poor  for 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI^  BOROUGH.  33 

Bolton.  At  length  Penn's  ''divine  experiment"  was  pro- 
jected, and  the  persecuted  sect  very  generally  turned  to 
the  new  world  as  an  asylum  where  they  might  worship 
God  in  their  own  way,  "with  none  to  molest  or  make 
them  afraid."  Harrison  was  early  interested  in  this 
movement,  and  became  one  of  Penn's  most  trusted  agents 
in  England.  It  was  not  without  some  hesitation  that  he 
arrived  at  the  decision  to  emigrate,  and  some  further  time 
elapsed  before  he  could  arrange  his  affairs  to  leave.  His 
decision,  however,  had  an  important  influence  upon  a 
considerable  number  of  others  who  made  their  homes  in 
Bucks  County,  and  he  may  be  properly  called  the  founder 
of  the  early  community  settled  here.  On  the  fifth  of 
September,  1682,  he  took  passage  in  the  ship  "Submis- 
sion," then  lying  at  Liverpool,  and  accompanied  by 
Phineas  Pemberton  and  some  fifty  others  of  his  immedi- 
ate relatives,  friends  and  their  servants,  came  to  the  new 
province.  On  their  arrival  in  Maryland,  Harrison  and 
Pemberton  at  once  set  out  for  Philadelphia,  and  from 
thence  proceeded  to  the  site  where  William  Yardley  had 
a  few  weeks  before  fixed  his  residence.  Harrison  was 
elected  to  the  first  assembly  before  his  return  to  his  family, 
and  Pemberton  was  soon  afterward  appointed  clerk  of  the 
court.  From  that  period  until  disabled  by  a  fatal  illness, 
save  an  unimportant  interval,  the  records  of  the  county 
were  written  wholly  by  his  hand,  and  in  them  he  has  left 
a  memorial  of  himself  that  will  not  be  lost  so  long  as  the 
history  of  the  community  which  he  helped  to  establish 
shall  be  read. 

First  Postal  System. — A  postal  system  was  projected 
in  conjunction  with  the  early  roads.  In  the  fifth  month, 
1683,  William  Penn  issued  an  order  for  the  establishment 
of  a  postoffice,  and  granted  to  Henry  Waldy,  of 
"Tekoney,"  authority  to  hold  it.  The  rates  of  postage 
were  as  follows.  From  the  Falls  to  Philadelphia,  via 
Bristol,  three  pence ;  to  Chester,  five  pence ;  to  Newcastle, 
seven  pence,  and  to  Maryland,  nine  pence ;  from  Philadel- 
phia to  Chester,  two  pence ;  to  Newcastle,  four  pence,  and 
to  Maryland,  six  pence.  This  post  went  only  once  a 
week,  and  the  governor  requested  Phineas  Pemberton  to 


34 


A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


carefully  publish  full  information  concerning  it  "on  the 
meeting  house  door  and  other  public  places." 

Among  the  duties  enjoined  upon  Waldy  was  that  of 
supplying  passengers  with  horses  from  Philadelphia  to 
Newcastle  or  to  the  Falls.  It  was  this  requirement  of 
the  post-rider  that  eventually  caused  his  retirement.  "Led 
horses"  for  the  accommodation  of  travelers  frequently 
accompanied  the  post,  but  this  was  found  to  interfere 
with  the  efficiency  of  the  service,  hence  the  introduction 
of  the  stage  coach  as  soon  as  the  condition  of  the  roads 
permitted. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  35 


EPOCH    II 


THE  MARKET  TOWN. 


From  1697,  the  Chartering  of  the  Market  Town,  to  1720, 
the  Development  Into  a  Borough. 

Introduction — The  influx  of  population  into  this  locality 
must  have  been  considerable,  which  is  sufficiently  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that .  a  market  town  was  considered 
necessary  for  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the  com- 
munity not  many  years  after  its  first  settlement.  At  this 
time  there  were  but  two  towns  in  the  province.  Phila- 
delphia and  Chester.  The  propriety  and  feasibility  of  the 
third  being  laid  out  were  considerations  of  greater 
importance  than  would  enter  into  the  calculations  of  the 
founder  of  a  prospective  town  at  the  present  time.  The 
project  was  brought  to  the  notice  of  prominent  men  in 
the  colony,  and  being  received  with  favor,  a  petition  was 
presented  to  the  provincial  council  at  a  meeting  of  that 
body  June  10,  1695,  ^t  the  house  of  Phineas  Pemberton, 
in  Falls,  Governor  Markham,  Samuel  Carpenter,  Joseph 
Growdon,  Caleb  Pussey  and  Phineas  Pemberton  being 
present.  It  was  shown  that  the  county  had  as  yet  no 
market  town;  that  for  this  purpose  the  ferry  opposite 
Burlington  was  regarded  as  a  good  location;  that  ways 
and  streets  had  been  projected  there,  "having  regard  to 
the  division  of  divers  men's  lands,"  and  therefore  request- 
ing the  governor  and  council,  if  the  proposed  location 
should  be  approved,  to  alter  or  confirm  the  streets ;  grant 
a  weekly  market ;  the  liberty  of  wharfing  and  building  to 
a  convenient  distance  into  the  river  and  creek ;  that  every 
street  terminating  at  the  banks  should  be  a  public  land- 
ing; that  the  buildings  on  the  bank  might  be  so  regulated 
as  to  leave  sufficient  space  for  a  street  at  the  water's 


36  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL.  BOROUGH. 

edge;  that  the  major  part  of  the  inhabitants  might  have 
power  to  appoint  two  or  more  of  their  number  to  see 
that  these  regulations  were  observed;  and  that  also  a 
proper  officer  be  appointed  to  seal  liquid  and  dry 
measures.  The  authorities  thus  consulted  were  pleased 
to  regard  this  as  "verie  reasonable,"  and  graciously  con- 
sented to  the  proposed  action  on  the  part  of  the  "inhabi- 
tants and  owners  of  land  in  the  County  of  Bucks,  but 
more  especially  in  the  Township  of  Buckingham  (Bris- 
tol). Phineas  Pemberton  was  directed  to  prepare  a  draft 
of  the  town,  and  John  White  appointed  ''sealer"  agree- 
ably to  the  terms  of  the  petition.  The  survey  was  prob- 
ably made  the  same  year  (1697)  ;  and  with  this  date  the 
chronological  record  of  the  oldest  town  in  Bucks  County 
may  be  said  to  begin. 

Bristol  Mills. — An  old  institution  of  Bristol  were  the 
mills  on  Mill  street,  the  ruins  of  which  are  now  owned  by 
J.  and  A.  Dorrance.  They  were  built  by  Samuel  Carpen- 
ter in  1701.  The  vessels  from  the  river  sailed  up  to  the 
door  to  load  and  unload  their  cargoes.  These  mills  came 
into  the  possession  of  the  Dorrance  family  some  time 
after  the  beginning  of  1800.  During  the  ownership  of 
John  Dorrance,  the  father  of  the  present  owners,  there 
were  associated  with  him  as  partners,  Joseph  Warner, 
Jesse  W.  Knight,  H.  M.  Wright,  Henry  Forst,  David 
Jones  and  Ellwood  Doron,  each  of  whom,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Mr.  Forst,  who  lived  but  seven  months  after  enter- 
ing into  partnership,  laid  the  foundation  of  his  fortune 
there.  The  interest  of  Joseph  Warner  in  the  property 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  Dorrance  in  1836,  and  in  1840,  the 
old  mill  was  torn  down  and  a  new  one  erected.  At  that 
time,  and  for  some  years  after,  a  large  trade  was  done  in 
shipping  kiln-dried  corn  meal  to  the  southern  states,  and 
West  Indies.  Many  a  large  vessel  has  been  fully 
freighted  from  the  old  mill  with  a  heavy  cargo  for  these 
places,  the  profits  for  the  year's  shipments  amounting  in 
one  instance  to  $40,000.  Upon  the  establishment  of  mills 
on  the  Brandywine  and  other  available  streams,  this  trade 
declined,  until  not  a  vestige  of  it  was  left,  the  business 
during  the  later  years  being  mainly  local.  The  mill  was 
burned  March  14,  1866,  having  a  large  stock  of  grain  on 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI^  BOROUGH. 


37 


hand  at  that  time.  The  loss  to  Messrs.  Dorrance  and 
Doron  was  estimated  at  $30,000,  A  new  mill,  three 
stories  high,  was  then  built  and  the  loss  soon  retrieved. 
At  the  death  of  Mr.  Dorrance,  in  1869,  his  two  sons,  John 
and  Arthur,  came  into  possession,  and  it  continued  in 
their  occupancy  until  April,  1874,  when  they  sold  the 
property  to  Rogers  Brothers,  sons  of  Wm.  B.  Rogers,  of 
Bristol  Township.  The  entire  concern,  including  saw 
mill,  lumber  yard,  canal  stables,  coal  sheds,  blacksmith 
shop,  one  store,  two  dwelling  houses,  mill  race  and  pQ^d, 


BRISTOL    MILLS    IN    l{ 


were  sold  for  v$6o,ooo;  the  mill  and  lumber  yard  having 
a  front  on  Mill  Street  of  about  400  feet.  The  purchasers 
were  hard-working,  enterprising  young  men,  who  had 
been  engaged  for  several  years  in  the  cultivation  of  sage 
upon  their  farm  near  Bristol,  having  succeeded  so  well  in 
proper  drying  and  grinding  of  the  herb,  as  to  produce  a 
demand  which  taxed  their  ability  to  supply.  The  sage 
business  was  still  superintended  by  two  of  the  firm, 
James  and  William,  while  the  other  two,  Robert  W.  and 
Frank,    devoted   their   time   to   the   milling   and    lumber 


38  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

trade.  Under  their  careful  management  the  business  was 
gradually  extended,  until  a  want  of  better  facilities  was 
felt,  and  after  much  examination  it  was  decided  to  intro- 
duce the  ''Joi^es  system  of  gradual  reduction."  The  alter- 
ation to  the  mill  and  the  erection  of  the  machinery  was 
entrusted  to  Joseph  Cartledge,  the  well-known  mill- 
wright of  Holmesburg,  Pa.  After  the  installation  of  the 
new  system,  the  business  apparently  increased  and  it 
seemed  as  if  the  firm  would  be  rewarded  for  its  enter- 
prise. But  in  April,  1886,  the  town  was  startled  by  the 
announcement  of  the  failure  of  Rogers  Brothers,  and  the 
appointment  of  the  late  William  H.  Grundy  as  assignee. 
Mr.  Grundy  immediately  assumed  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion and  in  a  few  weeks  sold  the  effects  at  public  sale. 
The  property  was  bought  by  the  present  owners,  J.  and 
A.  Dorrance.  Since  the  property  has  come  into  the  pos- 
session of  the  present  owners,  the  old  saw  mill  and  grist 
mill  have  been  destroyed  by  fire.  The  office  connected 
with  the  mills  is  at  present  occupied  by  Samuel  Scott  as 
a  grocery  store. 

It  is  related  that  when  a  detachment  of  British  cavalry 
from  Philadelphia  visited  Bristol  on  Good  Friday,  1778, 
during  the  Revolutionary  War,  their  object  being  to 
arrest  the  officers  of  a  small  body  of  militia  stationed  in 
the  borough,  they  threatened  to  burn  the  mills  unless  a 
certain  amount  of  money  was  paid  to  them.  Word  was 
sent  to  Captain  John  Clark,  who  lived  on  the  Fairview 
farm.  He  rode  to  Bristol  and  forbid  the  burning  of  the 
mills  on  the  ground  that  he  was  a  British  officer  and  was 
interested  in  the  ownership  of  the  property.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  troop  asked  him  where  his  regiment  was  sta- 
tioned. Pie  replied :  "In  the  West  Indies."  He  wished 
to  know  why  he  was  not  with  his  regiment.  Clark  re- 
plied that  he  was  on  the  sick  list  and  was  on  furlough. 
The  mills  were  not  burned  nor  money  paid  for  their 
ransom.  In  the  meantime,  word  was  sent  to  the  row 
of  galleys  lying  below  Burlington,  of  the  occupation  of 
the  town  by  the  British  troops.  They  immediately 
crossed  the  river  to  Bristol,  but  before  they  were  landed 
the  troops  with  their  prisoners  left  town  and  returned  to 
Philadelphia.     Shortly  after  the  British  army  left  Phila- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  39 

delphia,  Captain  Clark  resigned  his  commission  and 
remained  on  the  farm  till  his  death.  He  was  much 
respected  by  his  neighbors  and  friends. 

Samuel  Carpenter. — Samuel  Carpenter,  born  in  Surry, 
England,  who  came  to  the  province  from  the  island  of 
Barbadoes,  in  1683,  and  afterwards  became  a  wealthy 
shipping  merchant  of  Philadelphia,  was  the  largest  land- 
holder in  Bristol  Township  at  the  close  of  the  century. 
He  purchased  some  two  thousand  acres  contiguous  to 
Bristol,  and  including  the  site  of  the  borough.  Among 
the  tracts  he  bought  were  those  of  John  Otter,  Samuel 
Clift,  Edward  Bennet,  and  Griffith  Jones,  running  down 
the  Delaware  nearly  to  the  mouth  of  the  Neshaminy,  and 
afterward  that  of  Thomas  Holme,  running  back  to  the 
Middletown  line,  making  about  one  thousand  four  hun- 
dred acres.  He  likewise  owned  two  islands  in  the  river.  He 
probably  built  the  Bristol  mills,  which  stood  on  what  was 
then  Mill  Creek,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river,  and 
up  to  whose  doors  small  vessels  came  to  load  and  unload 
freight.  The  saw  mill  was  seventy  feet  long  by  thirty- 
two  wide,  and  was  able  to  cut  about  one  thousand  five 
hundred  feet  in  twelve  hours,  while  the  flour  mill  had  four 
run  of  stones,  with  an  undershot  wheel.  We  do  not  know 
at  what  time  Mr.  Carpenter  built  the  mills,  but  in  1705 
he  speaks  of  them  as  being  "newly  built."  They  earned 
a  clear  profit  of  £400  a  year.  The  mill  pond  then  covered 
between  two  and  three  hundred  acres.  The  pine  timber 
sawed  at  the  mill  was  brought  from  Timber  Creek,  New 
Jersey,  and  the  oak  cut  from  his  own  land  near  by.  At 
that  day  the  mills  had  about  fifteen  feet  head  and  fall, 
and  there  was  water  enough  to  run  about  eight  months 
in  the  year.  About  1710  or  1712,  Mr.  Carpenter  removed 
to  Bristol,  and  made  his  summer  residence  on  Burlington 
island,  his  dwelling  standing  as  late  as  1828.  He  was  the 
richest  man  in  the  province  in  1701,  but  lost  heavily  by 
the  French  and  Indian  War,  of  1703,  and  in  1705  he 
offered  to  sell  his  Bristol  property  to  his  friend  Jonathan 
Dickinson,  of  the  island  of  Mamaica.  He  married  Han- 
nah Hardman,  an  immigrant  from  Wales,  in  1684,  and 
died  at  Philadelphia  in  1714.    His  wife  died  in  1728.    His 


40  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

son,  Samuel,  married  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Preston,  and 
a  grand  daughter  of  Thomas  Lloyd.  Samuel  Carpenter 
was  largely  interested  in  public  affairs ;  was  a  member  of 
the  council  and  assembly,  and  treasurer  of  the  province. 
He  is  spoken  of  in  high  terms  by  all  his  contemporaries. 
The  Ellets,  who  distinguished  themselves  in  the  late  civil 
war,  were  descendants  of  Samuel  Carpenter,  through  the 
intermarriage  of  the  youngest  daughter  of  his  son  Samuel, 
with  Charles  Ellet. 

Bristol  Court  House. — Bristol  was  the  first  seat  of 
justice  in  Bucks  County.  In  1705  the  Assembly  author- 
ized the  erection  of  a  court  house.  It  was  a  two-story 
brick  building,  24  x  34  feet,  and  had  whipping  post 
attached.  A  beam  extended  from  the  gable  to  be  used  as 
a  gallows  in  case  an  execution  was  ordered.  The  upper 
room  was  used  as  a  court  room,  and  the  lower  one  as  a 
prison.  The  building  stood  on  Cedar  street,  on  the  lot 
now  owned  by  William  Booz,  upon  which  his  dwelling 
stands.  The  lot  extended  from  Cedar  Street  to  Radcliffe. 
After  the  removal  of  the  courts,  in  1725,  from  Bristol  to 
Newtown,  the  building  and  lot  were  sold  by  the  county 
to  John  De  Normandie,  who  in  1772,  sold  it  to  Phineas 
Buckley,  Chief  Burgess,  for  the  use  of  the  borough  upon 
the  payment  of  certain  quit  rents.  The  council  fitted  the 
upper  story  of  the  building  for  a  place  in  which  to  hold 
their  meetines.  The  lower  room  was  occupied  as  a  school 
room  and  for  the  holding  of  the  elections.  In  1834  the 
Burgess  and  Council  sold  the  property  to  William  Kin- 
sey  for  $1,000;  who  pulled  the  old  building  down  and 
built  the  dwelling  now  occupied  by  William  Booz. 

A  glance  through  ancient  records,  shows  that  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Borough  Council,  held  on  October  19, 
1792,  John  Gosline,  who  was  at  that  time  Second  Burgess, 
made  application  for  the  upper  part  of  the  old  court 
house,  where  a  "school  is  now  kept,"  for  a-lease  for  the 
term  of  twelve  years,  which  was  granted.  At  the  meet- 
ing held  on  May  28,  1793,  he  informed  the  council  that  a 
lease  had  been  executed  to  himself,  Samuel  and  William 
Rodan,  Jr.,  for  the  same,  "for  the  purpose  of  the  Free 
Masons  Lodge,  for  the  term  of  twelve  years,  commencing 
the  first  day  of  April  last  past." 


A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  4I 

Cutler's  Draft  of  Town  (1715). — The  original  draft  of 
the  "Market  Town"  plot,  by  Phineas  Pemberton,  has  not 
been  preserved  among  the  records  of  the  town.  The  old- 
est original  draft  believed  now  to  be  in  preservation  is 
that  of  John  Cutler,  made  July  13,  1715,  which  is  much 
defaced  and  obliterated  from  frequent  handling.  This 
draft  by  Cutler  purports  to  be  drawn  "according  to 
Phineas  Pemberton's  survey,  with  some  amendments" 
(evidently  meaning  a  further  extension  of  the  town 
plot),  "by  an  agreement  of  the  inhabitants."  On  this 
draft  we  find  the  town  laid  out  into  twelve  blocks,  or 
squares,  and  eleven  suburbal  parts  or  fractions.  The 
names  of  the  lot-holders,  with  their  respective  local 
places,  as  presented  on  Cutler's  draft,  are : 

On  west  side  of  Mill  Street,  from  the  dock  to  Cedar 
Street,  Joseph  Growdon,  i ;  Cedar  to  Wood,  Phineas 
Pemberton,  i ;  John  White,  2 ;  Wood  to  Pond,  Robert 
Brown,  i ;  John  Smith,  2 ;  Thomas  Musgrove,  3 ;  John 
Town,  4;  Samuel  Carpenter,  5.  (Although  not  upon  the 
draft,  the  compiler  has  reliable  authority  in  saying  that 
Samuel  Carpenter's  plot  extended  north  of  Pond  Street, 
embracing  all  that  valuable  property  long  known  as  the 
"Bristol  Mills.") 

Mill  Street,  east  side,  from  Water  to  Radcliffe  Street, 
Thomas  Brock,  i ;  Radcliffe  to  Cedar,  Thomas  Brock,  i  ; 
Henry  Baker,  2 ;  Anthony  Burton,  3 ;  Cedar  to  Wood  (and 
Mill  to  Market),  Phineas  Pemberton,  i;  Samuel  Brown, 
2;  Wm.  Croasdale,  3;  Samuel  Oldale,  4;  Wood  to  Pond 
(and  Mill  to  Market),  John  White,  i;  John  Smith,  2; 
Thos.  Musgrove,  3.  Lands  north  of  Pond,  lying  between 
Mill  and  Mulberry  Streets,  were  owned  by  Thomas 
Brock,  and  northeast  of  Brock's,  by  John  Town,  Thomas 
Musgrove,  John  Smith  and  John  White. 

Market  Street,  west  side,  from  Water  to  Radcliffe, 
Anthony  Burton,  i ;  Radcliffe  to  Cedar,  Anthony  Burton, 
I ;  Thomas  Brock,  2. 

Market  Street,  east  side,  from  Water  to  Cedar,  Samuel 
Carpenter,  i ;  Cedar  to  Wood,  Phineas  Pemberton,  i ; 
Samuel  Carpenter,  2 ;  Wood  to  Pond  (east  of  Market  to 
Walnut),  lands  of  John  White  and  John  Town. 

Mulberry  Street,  west  side,  from  Water  to  Wood,  Peter 


42  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

White,  I ;  east  side  of  Mulberry,  from  Water  to  Rad- 
cliffe,  Anthony  Burton,  i ;  RadclifTe  to  Cedar,  Anthony 
Burton,  i;  Thomas  Brock,  2;  Cedar  to  Wood,  Phineas 
Pemberton,  i ;  Thomas  Brock,  2. 

Walnut  Street,  west  side,  from  Water  to  Radcliffe, 
Thomas  Brock,  i ;  Radcliffe  to  Cedar,  Thomas  Brock,  i ; 
Anthony  Burton,  2 ;  Cedar  to  Wood,  Thomas  Brock. 

East  side  of  Walnut  (from  Water  Street  north,  45° 
west  to  Cedar  Street),  lands  of  Robert  Brown.  (Bache's 
History.) 

An  Old  Landmark. — At  the  corner  of  Pond  and  Mar- 
ket streets,  formerly  stood  an  old  dwelling,  which 
for  years  was  occupied  by  J.  Merrick  Brown,  ticket  agent 
at  the  Bristol  station.  It  was  one  of  the  oldest  houses 
in  the  borough,  having  been  erected  prior  to  1700.  A  few 
years  ago  the  land  was  purchased  by  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  Company  and  the  old  building  was  demolished. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  Bristol  this  tract  of  land 
belonged  to  William  Heaton,  whose  lands  extended  to 
Walnut  Street.  During  his  occupancy  of  the  premises 
there  was  great  excitement  in  the  town  on  account  of  a 
man  being  found  dead  in  the  well.  One  of  the  family,  in 
attempting  to  draw  a  bucket  of  water,  could  not  succeed. 
In  looking  down  the  well  she  discovered  something  that 
looked  like  a  large  dog.  She  called  her  father,  who  got  a 
grappling  hook,  and  with  the  assistance  of  some  of  his 
neighbors  drew  it  up,  when  lo  and  behold,  it  proved  to  be 
an  Indian.  The  question  arose  among  the  citizens  who 
had  gathered  around  the  corpse :  How  did  he  get  in  the 
well  ?  Some  thought  he  had  been  murdered  for  his  money 
and  thrown  down  the  well ;  others  ridiculed  the  idea  of  an 
Indian  being  in  possession  of  money  enough  to  induce 
any  person  to  murder  him.  A  jury  was  summoned,  and 
upon  investigation  it  was  found  that  he  was  one  of  a 
party  of  Indians  who  the  day  before  had  crossed  over 
from  New  Jersey  to  sell  their  baskets,  which  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  doing  two  or  three  times  a  year,  and  on 
such  occasions  would  get  generally  intoxicated.  It  was 
in  evidence  that  this  man  was  seen  late  on  the  preceding 
day  lying  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  the  lot  where  he 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  43 

was  found,  with  two  silver  dollars  in  his  hand,  which 
gave  rise  to  the  suspicion  that  he  had  been  murdered  for 
his  money,  as  the  money  was  not  found.  The  jury,  find- 
ing no  marks  of  violence  on  the  body,  rendered  a  verdict 
that  he  come  to  his  death  by  falling  down  the  well  while 
intoxicated.  His  friends,  missing  him  when  they  reached 
home,  came  back  to  look  for  him,  and  when  made 
acquainted  with  the  manner  of  his  death,  their  theory 
was,  that  after  sleeping  off  his  drunk,  having  no  more 
whiskey,  he  went  to  the  well  for  a  drink  of  water,  and 
it  being  dark  he  had  fallen  in  and  was  drowned.  It  was 
a  long  time  before  the  family  or  neighbors  would  drink 
the  water  from  that  well,  although  it  was  considered  the 
best  in  the  borough. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Heaton  the  property  came  in 
possession  of  Henry  Tomlinson,  who  married  one  of  the 
family.  "Uncle  Henry,"  as  he  was  called  by  the  younger 
portion  of  the  community,  was  a  man  of  good  sense, 
noted  hospitality,  and  a  very  active  mind,  positive  in  his 
convictions  and  fond  of  controversy.  He  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade  and  a  school  teacher  by  profession  and 
kept  school  in  his  shop,  combining  both  professions,  that 
of  teaching  the  young  idea  how  to  shoot  and  of  making 
and  mending  shoes.  His  motto  was :  While  you  educate 
the  head,  take  care  of  the  feet. 

He  was  a  member,  trustee  and  sexton  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  and  entertained  singular  ideas  of  heating 
churches.  One  cold  winter  morning,  one  of  the  members 
arriving  at  the  church  early  and  finding  the  doors  open, 
the  cold  wind  blowing  in  the  church,  said :  "Brother 
Tomlinson,  why  don't  you  close  the  doors?" 

His  reply  was :  "There  is  a  good  fire  in  the  stove.  I 
leave  the  doors  open  so  that  the  wind  may  blow  the  heat 
around  the  house." 

Some  of  our  old  citizens  will  remember  him  as  a  leader 
of  the  singing  in  the  church.  Standing  in  front  of  the 
pulpit,  by  the  aid  of  the  tuning  fork  he  would  start  the 
tunes,  and  with  his  strong  bass  voice  would  make  the 
church  ring. 

He  had  frequent  controversies  with  one  James  Johnson 
on  matters  of  faith  and  practice.    Jimmy,  as  he  was  gen- 
4 


44  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

-erally  called,  was  a  sharp,  shrewd  Irishman,  with  a  super- 
abundance of  mother-wit.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  a  firm  believer  in  her  doctrines  and 
usages.  On  one  occasion  their  argument  was  on  the 
Virgin  Mary.  Jimmy  contended  that  as  she  was  the 
mother  of  Christ  she  should  be  reverenced  and  wor- 
shipped. Uncle  Henry,  in  reply,  said  that  in  her  woman- 
hood she  was  no  better  than  his  own  mother.  "But  I 
perceive,"  said  Jimmy,  "there  is  a  great  difference  in 
their  sons." 

He  was  the  inventor  of  the  dipper,  which  superseded 
the  scoop-net  for  catching  fish,  for  which  he  was  recog- 
nized by  the  boys  as  "Uncle  Dipper." 

At  his  death,  the  property  went  to  his  daughter,  Ann 
Eliza,  who  built  the  frame  house  adjoining,  and  married 
Charles  Pasco,  who  kept  a  shoe  store  in  the  building  now 
occupied  by  Mr.  Emil  Erthel.  After  her  death  the  prop- 
erty was  purchased  by  J.  M.  Brown. 

The  De  Normandies. — The  De  Normandies  were  a 
princely  family  of  France,  holding  feudal  tenures  in 
Champagne  from  the  earliest  times,  the  heads  of  the 
house  being  the  Lords  de  la  Motte.  In  1460  Guilliaume 
De  Normandie  was  made  royal  governor  of  Noyon  in 
Picardy,  and  founded  the  chapel  of  St.  Claire  in  the 
Church  of  St.  Martin.  He  married  a  De  Roye,  princess 
in  her  own  right,  and  daughter  of  the  lord  of  De  Mailly 
D'Aisely  and  Montescourt.  From  Giulliaume  De  Nor- 
mandie descended  Laurent  De  Normandie,  the  warm 
friend  and  supporter  of  Calvin,  and  the  executor  of  his 
will,  who  fled  to  Geneva,  and,  as  did  his  sons  after  him, 
filled  some  of  the  highest  offices  in  that  republic.  From 
Laurent  came  Jean  De  Normandie,  one  of  the  deputies 
sent  in  1630  to  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Prince 
of  Savoy,  and  from  Jean  came  Joseph,  named  after  his 
uncle  and  godfather,  the  celebrated  Due  De  La 
Tremouille.  These  were  all  counsellors  of  state  and 
syndics  of  Geneva,  as  was  Michael,  the  son  of  Joseph. 
From  Michael  came  Andre  De  Normandie,  the  confiden- 
tial agent  and  lieutenant  of  Frederick  the  Great  at 
Neufchatel.     In  his  old  age  this  Andre  De  Normandie, 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  45 

born  at  Geneva  in  1651,  came  to  America  in  1706,  with 
his  two  sons,  John  Abram  and  John  Anthony,  and  settled 
at  Bristol,  where  he  died  in  1724.  Of  his  sons,  John 
Abram,  in  1688,  and  John  Anthony,  in  1693,  married 
Henrietta  Elizabeth,  and  Mary,  daughters  of  Doctor 
Francis  Gandonet.  The  former  died  at  Bristol  in  1757, 
and  the  latter  in  1748.  The  remains  of  father  and  sons 
repose  in  Saint  James'  Churchyard.  The  children  of  the 
two  sons  married  into  the  families  of  Bard,  of  Burlington, 
and  Anderson,  whose  whereabouts  is  not  known.  Some 
of  the  De  Normandies  sided  with  England  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary struggle  and  got  into  trouble,  while  with  others, 
Washington  was  on  terms  of  warm  friendship.  The 
families  were  valuable  citizens  in  the  church  and  out  of 
it.  Some  of  them  were  physicians,  and  men  of  science 
and  culture,  and  they  owned  considerable  real  estate  in 
the  county.  Doctor  James  De  Normandie,  a  physician 
with  a  large  practice  in  Penn's  manor,  was  the  last  of  the 
family  to  leave  the  county,  and  settled  in  Ohio  about  sev- 
enty years  ago.  His  son,  James,  was  at  one  time  a  clergy- 
man of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hamp- 
shire. The  father  married  a  sister  of  Samuel  Yardley, 
formerly  of  Doylestown.  Late  in  life  Doctor  John  Abram 
went  to  Geneva  to  claim  property  left  him  and  his  cousin 
by  an  old  nobleman.  He  there  met  Voltaire,  who  was  so 
pleased  with  his  society  that  he  made  some  preparation 
to  return  with  him  and  lay  his  bones  here.  The  doctor 
brought  home  a  miniature  given  him  by  Voltaire,  which 
is  yet  owned  by  the  descendants  of  the  family.  (Davis' 
History  of  Bucks  County). 

Old  Records  Lost. — William  Bache,  in  his  History  of 
Bristol,  published  in  1853,  says :  "It  is  proper  to  notice 
that  nearly  all  the  early  papers  and  records  belonging  to 
the  corporation  (say  from  about  the  year  1700  to  1749), 
and  others  of  more  recently  intervening  periods),  have 
been  lost,  some  destroyed  by  rats,  and  others  scattered 
abroad,  a  fact  to  be  regretted  by  many,  as  it  involves 
much  of  our  local  history  in  obscurity. 

"Some  of  the  earliest  records  of  the  county  appear  also 
to  have  suflfered  a  like  fate ;  and  we  are  told  by  that  inde- 


46  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

fatigable  annalist,  J.  F.  Watson,  that  where  the  road  from 
Philadelphia  to  Buckingham  'was  across  the  Neshaminy, 
at  Galloway's  Ford,  one  mile  from  Hulmeville,  through 
Langhorn's  Park,  thence  by  Attleborough — ' 

"  'Near  that  ford  once  stood  Growdon's  old  fire-proof, 
in  which  were  kept  the  records  of  Bucks  County;  and 
when  Joseph  Galloway  went  off  with  the  British  in  1778, 
the  office  was  broken  open  and  the  records  strewed  about, 
to  the  use  of  any  who  might  possess  them.'  The  old  fire- 
proof had  not  been  entirely  demolished  in  1853 ;  enough 
still  existed  to  attest  the  fact  of  the  attack  made  upon  it, 
while  its  old  door,  perforated  with  bullet  holes  from  the 
British  musketry,  was  still  preserved." 

Bristol  Society  of  Friends. — Nearly  all  the  first  settlers 
of  Buckingham,  now  Bristol,  as  well  as  of  other  parts  of 
the  lower  end  of  Bucks  County,  were  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  Meetings  for  worship  were 
established  about  the  Falls  of  the  Delaware,  some  time 
before  the  country  had  received  the  name  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  members  belonging  to  a  Monthly  Meeting,  held 
at  Burlington,  dating  from  1674.  In  1683  a  Monthly 
Meeting  was  established  at  the  house  of  William  Biles, 
in  what  is  now  known  as  The  Manor,  of  which  Friends 
living  in  Bristol  and  at  Neshamine,  now  Middletown,  be- 
came members.  The  Governor  and  his  wife,  while  in 
Pennsylvania,  were  members  of  this  Monthly  Meeting, 
and  Phineas  Pemberton,  whose  name  as  clerk  of  the  first 
Orphans'  Court  frequently  appears  upon  our  early  county 
records,  was  its  Recorder  of  Births  and  Deaths.  The  first 
Bucks  Quarterly  Meeting,  composed  of  the  original  Falls 
Monthly  Meeting  and  a  new  one  set  oflf  therefrom  called 
Neshamine,  was  held  at  the  house  of  William  Biles,  on 
March  7,  1684. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  Friends  at  Bristol  were  not 
allowed  any  regular  meeting  of  their  own,  and  growing 
weary  of  being  thus  deprived  of  religious  privileges,  they 
petitioned  the  Falls  Monthly  Meeting  in  1704,  that  they 
might  be  allowed  to  hold  a  meeting  sometimes  among 
themselves,  but  this  favor  was  not  granted  until  1707, 
when  permission  was  given  them  to  hold  a  meeting  of 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


47 


worship  bi-weekly,  on  First  Days,  and  once  a  week  on 
week  days. 

In  1706,  Samuel  Carpenter,  a  wealthy  Friend,  offered 
to  give  Falls  Monthly  Meeting  "a.  piece  of  ground  for  a 
meeting  house  and  burying  place,  and  pasture,  at  Bristol, 
and  the  gift  having  been  accepted  by  the  Meeting  the 
same  was  ordered  to  be  deeded  to  Joseph  Kirkbride  and 
others  for  the  uses  aforesaid.  The  trustees  appointed  by 
the  Monthly  Meeting  seem  to  have  been  most  unac- 
countably derelict  in  their  duties,  for  we  find,  in  1710,  a 
minute   of   the    Monthly   Meeting   stating   that   ''Bristol 


» o  'ir 


FRIENDS       MEETING      HOUSE. 


Friends  renewed  an  application,  first  made  in  1706,  for 
the  building  of  a  meeting  house.  The  following  quaint 
minute  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting  gives  evidence  that  the 
request  of  Bristol  Friends  for  a  meeting  house  was  soon 
granted.  It  is  as  follows :  At  a  Quarterly  Meeting,  held 
at  Middletown,  ye  22nd  of  ye  12th  Month,  1710.  This 
meeting  having  under  its  consideration  the  building  of  a 
meeting  house  at  Bristol,  it's  concluded  there  be  a  good, 
substantial  house  built,  either  of  brick  or  stone,  and  the 
Friends  appointed  to  take  the  dimensions,  and  for  the 
convenientest  place  is  Joseph  Kirkbride,  Joshua  Koupes, 


48  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

John  Satcher,  Thatcher,  Thomas  Stevenson  and  Adam 
Harker,  together  with  such  Bristol  Friends  as  they  think 
fit,  who  are  likewise  to  compute  the  charge  as  near  as 
may  be,  and  to  appoint  whom  they  may  think  fit  to  man- 
age the  work,  and  give  an  account  of  their  proceeding  to 
the  next  meeting."  Three  months  later:  "The  Friends 
appointed  to  take  care  about  the  meeting  house  at  Bristol 
report  they  have  made  some  progress  therein,  having 
obtained  a  grant  of  a  lot  of  land  from  Samuel  Carpenter, 
to  set  the  meeting  house  on,  likewise  has  agreed  for  the 
dimensions;  first  ye  carpenter  work  has  computed  the 
charge  of  ye  whole,  and  thinks  it  will  be  about  £200. 
The  meeting  appointed  Joseph  Kirkbride  and  others  'to 
undertake  the  first,  and  the  rest  of  ye  work  belonging  to 
it,  and  take  care  to  see  it  well  and  carefully  done,  and 
with  what  expedition  may  be.'  The  meeting  also  urged 
Friends  to  make  collections  in  their  respective  meetings 
for  the  new  building,  and  appointed  trustees  to  hold  the 
title  for  the  Quarterly  Meeting  to  the  ground  given  for 
the  meeting  place  and  burial  ground,  this  being  a  rare 
instance  of  title  to  property  held  by  other  Monthly 
Meetings." 

After  seven  years  of  delay  the  meeting  house  project 
was  in  a  fair  way  to  be  accomplished,  and  in  December, 
1713,  the  Quarterly  Meeting  was  informed  that  "the 
committee  to  settle  Bristol  meeting  house,  report  they 
have  completed  the  same,"  from  which  it  would  appear 
that  this  ancient  landmark  lacks  but  two  years  of  being 
200  years  old.  The  bricks  used  in  its  construction  were 
brought  from  England,  and  this  doubtless  added  to  the 
delay  in  its  completion.  In  1728,  the  building  was  partly 
taken  down  and  rebuilt,  it  being  in  danger  of  falling.  In 
1735  or  1736,  an  addition  was  built,  greatly  enlarging  its 
capacity,  and  in  1756  it  was  finished  in  the  upper  story. 
Previous  to  1839-40,  the  entrance  was  in  the  Market 
Street  end  of  the  house,  the  galleries  being  at  the  east 
end,  facing  the  entrance,  and  the  aisle  running  length- 
wise of  the  building,  probably  passing  through  a  doorwav 
into  the  addition  in  the  rear.  During  the  Revolutionary 
war  the  house  was  occupied  as  a  hospital,  as  appears  from 
the   following  minute   of  September   15,   1778:     "Joseph 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  49 

Church,  William  Bidgood,  John  Hutchinson  and  Phineas 
Buckley  are  appointed  to  get  the  meeting  house  cleared 
of  the  troops  in  the  little  end  of  the  house  so  that  it  may- 
be fit  to  meet  in."  A  number  of  patients  in  this  hospital 
are  believed  to  have  been  buried  in  the  lot  now  occupied 
by  Mohican  Hall,  on  Otter  Street.  In  1820  a  school  was 
kept  in  the  upper  story  of  the  house,  taught  by  Dr.  Henry 
Lippincott,  afterward  many  years  in  practice  at  Fallsing- 
ton,  Mary  Prosser,  Letitia  Swain  and  Hannah  Coleman. 
lA  1828  a  split  occurred  in  the  Society  and  the  Orthodox 
Friends  withdrew  and  built  a  meeting  house  at  the  corner 
of  Wood  and  Walnut  Streets.  This  building  is  still 
standing,  meetings  being  held  therein  on  every  First  Day. 
In  1867  another  separation  took  place,  when  those  who 
accepted  the  Millerite  doctrines  erected  a  meeting  house 
at  the  corner  of  Walnut  and  Wilson  Streets.  This  build- 
ing was  torn  down  about  twenty-five  years  ago.  These 
unfortunate  divisions  among  the  members  of  the  Society 
have  greatly  reduced  its  numbers  and  influence. 

St.    James'    Protestant    Episcopal    Church. — The    St. 

James'  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  originated  indirectly 
in  a  division  among  Friends,  about  the  year  1696,  when 
the  more  conservative  party  took  the  name  of  Keithians, 
from  George  Keith,  their  leader,  who  maintained  that  the 
"inner  light"  was  not  a  sufficient  guide,  and  that  the  only 
rule  of  life  was  the  written  word  of  God,  at  the  same  time 
strenuously  advocating  the  sobriety  and  plainness  of  the 
sect.  Keith  promulgated  these  doctrines  with  such  suc- 
cess that  fifteen  different  meetings  of  the  Friends  were 
brought  into  full  agreement  with  him  during  a  stay  of 
several  years  in  America.  Upon  his  return  to  England, 
Keith  was  again  brought  into  contact  with  the  Anglican 
Church,  and  the  influence  thus  brought  to  bear  upon  his 
mind  completed  his  separation  from  the  Quakers ;  he  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  by  Compton,  Bishop  of  London, 
and  was  at  once  commissioned  the  first  missionary  of  the 
"Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts."  There  was  at  this  time  a  single  Episcopal  clergy- 
man in  the  province,  Mr.  Evans,  of  Philadelphia.  His 
arrival  preceded  that  of  Keith  on  his  second  voyage  two 


50 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


or  three  years,  during  which  period  several  hundred  per- 
sons had  been  baptized.  The  presence  of  Keith  gave  a 
new  impetus  to  the  movement ;  and  during  his  brief  stay, 
he  baptized  at  least  two  hundred  persons,  some  of  whom 
were  from  Bristol.  The  Rev.  John  Talbot  was  chaplain 
on  the  man-of-war  in  which  Keith  came  out  on  his  mis- 


^^^^^^KjM^^B, 

ST.  JAMES     P.   E.   CHURCH. 


sionary  voyage,  and  became  greatly  interested  in  the 
plans  of  the  society.  When  Keith  visited  this  locality,  he 
was  accompanied  by  Talbot,  who  became  the  first  rector 
of  St.  Mary's  Parish,  Burlington.  Subsequent  develop- 
ments with  reference  to  this  town  are  thus  explained  by 
Dr.  Humphreys.  "New  Bristol  lies  opposite  BurHngton, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Delaware.    The  people  there  for- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  5 1 

sook  Quakerism  much  about  the  same  time  the  inhabi- 
tants of  BurHngton  did.  A  church  was  soon  erected  there 
through  the  zeal  of  the  people,  especially  through  the 
means  of  two  worthy  gentlemen  of  the  place,  Mr.  John 
Rowland  and  Mr.  Anthony  Burton,  who  were  chiefly 
instrumental  in  this  work.  They  had  no  missionary  sent 
to  reside  among  them  constantly,  but  used  to  be  visited 
by  the  minister  of  Burlington.  Mr.  Talbot,  who  was  fixed 
at  Burlington,  used  frequently  to  cross  the  water  to  them, 

and  preach  and  perform  all  the  ministerial  offices 

The  people  were  sensible  that  the  society  was  not  able  to 
establish  missionaries  in  every  place,  and  were  therefore 
content  to  be  assisted  by  the  minister  of  Burlington,  and 
the  society  has  always  given  directions  that  the  minister 
of  that  place  should  take  Bristol  into  his  care";  so  that 
the  Rev.  John  Talbot  was  the  first  rector  in  charge  of 
this  parish. 

The  church  site  and  burial  grounds,  comprising  an  acre 
and  a  half,  were  donated  by  Anthony  Burton.  It  is 
thought  that  the  donor  first  gave  the  lot  upon  which  the 
church  was  to  be  erected,  and  afterward  supplemented 
this  with  the  wider  limits  now  established.  The  church 
edifice  was  probably  commenced  in  1711.  The  founders 
of  the  parish  had  but  little  or  no  exterior  aid.  The  title- 
page  of  the  old  record  book  says  of  the  church  that  it 
was  "built  by  subscription  of  several  well-disposed  per- 
sons, and  being  finished  was  dedicated  to  the  honor  of  St. 
James  the  Greater,  the  festival  of  that  apostle  being  ye 
25th  day  of  July,  1712."  Queen  Anne  favored  this  parish 
in  common  with  many  others  with  the  gift  of  a  solid  silver 
communion  service,  which  must  have  been  given  soon 
after  the  opening  of  the  church,  as  the  queen  died  in  1714. 

Mr.  Talbot  continued  his  connection  with  the  parish 
until  1720,  when  he  returned  to  England  on  a  mission  of 
great  interest  to  the  church  in  this  country.  When  he 
came  to  America  again,  three  years  later,  it  was  in  the 
capacity  of  bishop,  the  first  ecclesiastical  dignitary  of 
his  church  in  the  British  colonies.  During  the  three 
years  of  his  absence,  the  parish  was  supplied  by  Reverend 
Thoroughgood  Moore,  and  upon  his  death  in  1727,  the 
Rev.  Robert  Weyman  took  charge.     The  oldest  records 


52  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

of  the  vestry  begin  in  his  incumbency,  with  Matthew 
Rue  and  Francis  Gaudorett,  church  wardens;  John 
Abram  De  Normandie,  William  Hope,  John  Anthony  De 
Normandie,  John  Bessonett,  William  Gregory,  William 
Silverstone,  Evan  Harris,  John  Underwood,  Matthias 
Keene,  John  Williams,  Jonathan  Bourne  and  Thomas 
Worrell,  vestrymen.  It  appears  that  at  this  time  the 
parish  owned  a  "Church  House,"  bequeathed  by  John 
Rowland.  Mr.  Weyman  received  iio  yearly  salary  from 
Bristol.  His  successor,  the  Rev.  William  Lindsay, 
received  £24.  While  he  was  in  charge,  an  entry  was 
made  in  the  records  respecting  "ye  hours  given  to  ye 
church  by  Otter  Atherson."  This  piece  of  property  was 
sold  for  £37  IDS.  The  Rev.  Carlin  Campbell,  the 
next  rector,  was  in  charge  from  1741  to  1766,  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years,  during  all  of  which  time  the 
local  contributions  to  his  support  did  not  exceed  ten  pounds 
a  year.  His  successor,  Mr.  Odell,  presided  at  a  vestry  meet- 
ing in  1768,  beyond  which  fact  nothing  more  is  known  of 
him.  Reverend  Mr.  Lewis  was  the  rector  in  1776,  and,  with 
many  others  of  the  clergy  throughout  the  country,  continued 
his  attachment  to  the  English  government.  The  odium 
which  this  course  incurred  was  transferred  in  great  measure 
to  the  church  itself.  Buildings  consecrated  to  worship  were 
visited  with  all  the  displeasure  the  uniform  loyalty  of  the 
clergy  inspired.  Bristol  was  no  exception.  The  parish 
church  was  not  only  desecrated,  but  wholly  dismantled.  Its 
chancel  furniture  disappeared.  The  doors  and  windows  were 
carried  away,  and  so  it  remained  exposed  to  sunshine  and 
storm ;  and  when  an  American  cavalry  company  was 
stationed  here  for  a  time,  this  venerable  house  of  worship 
was  used  as  a  stable  for  their  horses.  After  the  war,  it  re- 
mained in  this  half-ruinous  condition  for  a  considerable 
period.  It  was  for  a  time  used  as  a  barn,  and  the  graves  in 
the  unfenced  burial-ground  were  trodden  under  foot  of  man 
and  beast  with  impunity.  As  late  as  1806,  a  former  member 
of  the  parish  gave  charge  that  he  should  not  be  buried  in 
that  neglected  ground,  but  miles  away  in  Bensalem  where 
his  grave  would  be  less  open  to  violation. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH 


53 


Indeed,  it  seemed  more  difficult  for  the  church  to  gain  a 
footing  when  the  country  entered  upon  a  period  of  pros- 
perity and  independence  than  it  had  been  a  century  previous. 
In  this  parish,  it  seemed  as  if  the  work  of  three  score  years 
and  ten  had  been  utterly  lost.  At  the  organization  of  the 
diocesan  convention  at  Philadelphia  in  1785,  Christopher 
Merrick  represented  St.  James',  Bristol,  and  although  an 
effort  was  made  to  secure  a  rector,  no  minister  is  reported  as 
stationed  here  until  1809.  Services  had  been  held  for  three 
years  previously  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Waddell,  D.  D.,  of 
Trenton,  who  officiated  once  in  two  weeks,  the  stipulated 


PARISH     HOUSE     OF     ST.     JAMES      P.     E-     CHURCH. 

compensation  for  which  was  £50,  or  as  much  as  the 
pew  money  should  amount  to.  He  appears  to  have  dissolved 
his  connection  with  St.  James'  in  18 10.  Reverend  James 
Andrews,  D.  D.,  provost  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  the  next  rector.  The  record  book  makes  no  mention  of 
this  fact,  but  journals  of  the  early  Pennsylvania  conventions 
make  it  evident.  The  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Richard  Drason 
tfall  began  in  February,  181 3.  His  stipend,  including  pew 
rents,  amounted  to  $500,  the  largest  yet  paid  in  the  history 


54  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

of  the  church.  The  building  of  a  new  church  was  agitated 
in  view  of  increased  attendance  under  the  ministry,  but  not 
effected.  The  bounds  of  the  parish  in  1815  are  indicated  by 
the  appointment  in  that  year  of  John  Harrison,  collector  for 
Bensalem,  Joseph  King  and  James  Wright  for  Bristol,  and 
George  Remson  for  Newport.  The  property  outside  of  the 
church  and  graveyard,  vested  in  the  parish,  consisted  in 
1816,  of  the  house  bequeathed  by  John  Rowland  in  171 5,  and 
a  lot  of  half  an  acre  in  Attleboro,  of  which  the  donor  is  not 
known.  Of  the  pews  in  the  church  as  enlarged  in  that 
year,  one  was  free  and  one  was  set  apart  for  persons  of 
color.  The  minstry  of  Mr.  Hall  was  one  of  great  zeal  and 
in  some  respects  of  remarkable  success.  The  membership 
was  largely  increased  and  the  church  property  greatly 
improved. 

Mr.  Jacquette  succeeded  him  in  1822,  and  the  Rev.  Al- 
bert A.  Muller,  in  1823,  but  neither  remained  very  long. 
The  ministry  of  the  next  rector,  the  Rev.  J.  V.  E.  Thorn, 
was  eminently  evangelical,  but  too  short  to  have  effected 
much  permanent  good.  He  resigned  February  27,  1828- 
The  Rev.  William  H.  Rue  was  elected  and  appointed  rector 
April  7,  1828;  George  W.  Ridgeley,  in  1830;  W.  S.  Per- 
kins, in  June,  1833;  Henry  B.  Barton,  January  i,  1855;  Jos- 
eph W.  Pierson,  July,  1857;  W.  W.  Spear,  D.  D.,  in  1861 ; 
John  H.  Drumm,  D.  D.,  February,  1863 ;  John  C.  Brooks, 
1876;  Joseph  Lee,  1878;  William  Leggett  Kolb,  1886;  Wil- 
liam Bryce  Morro,  1892 ;  William  H.  Bown,  1903.  Mr. 
Perkins  thus  speaks  of  things  as  they  existed  when  he  en- 
tered the  parish:  "The  church  was  discouraging  and  unbe- 
coming to  the  character  of  the  place  and  the  people ;  the 
yard  around  was  nearly  destitute  of  trees,  and  even  the  old- 
fashioned  spire  on  the  roof  seemed  to  sympathize  in  the 
general  depression,  for  it  had  ceased  to  point  directly 
heavenward."  The  decaying  edifice  was  at  length  repaired, 
but  the  expense  thus  incurred  absorbed  all  the  property  of 
the  parish.  The  communion  plate  given  by  Queen  Anne  had 
long  since  disappeared ;  it  was  followed  one  by  one,  as  all 
the  other  benefactions  made  to  the  parish  were  sold  At 
length  it  became  apparent  that  further  repairs   to  the  old 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  55 

church  building  were  useless.  Mr.  Barton  began  the  erec- 
tion of  the  present  edifice,  and  it  was  completed  by  his 
successor,  Mr.  Pierson.  The  consecration  occurred  Wed- 
nesday, September  8,  1857.  The  Right  Rev.  Samuel  Bow- 
man, D.  D.,  Assistant  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  presiding. 
Mr.  Barton  pronounced  the  sentence  of  consecration.  The 
edifice  is  of  the  Byzantine  order  of  architecture,  built  of 
Trenton  brown-stone  with  bead  mouldings  and  corbels,  in 
dimensions  one  hundred  by  forty-five  feet,  with  a  chancel 
sixteen  feet  deep  and  seventeen  feet  wide,  and  a  seating 
capacity  of  500.  A  handsome  chapel  for  Sunday  school 
purposes  was  erected  in  1877,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Ladies'  Aid  Society.  Since  the  retirement  of  the  Rev.  W. 
H.  Bown,  in  1908,  the  church  has  been  without  a  stationed 
clergyman. 

Note. — The  author  in  his  researches,  discovered  that  the  writer  of 
the  foregoing  article,  obtained  his  data  from  a  comprehensive  his- 
tory of  the  church  w^ritten  by  a  former  clergyman,  Dr.  John  H. 
Drumm,  back  in  1871.  This  history  v^as  read  to  the  congregation 
by  Dr.  Drumm  in  July,  1871,  and  published  in  the  "Bristol  Observer" 
during  the  month  of  August  in  the  same  year.  Should  exception  be 
taken  to  any  of  the  statements  made  in  the  foregoing  article,  the 
author  would  suggest  that  permission  can  be  obtained  from  Messrs. 
Gilkeson  &  James,  who  have  in  their  possession  the  files  of  the 
"Bristol  Observer,"  to  read  the  copy  of  the  original  history  as 
written  by  Dr.  Drumm.  The  author  has  used  the  story  from 
"Battle's  History,"  because  the  fact  of  its  having  been  written  from 
data  drawn  from  a  history  compiled  by  a  former  clergyman,  seem- 
ingly vouches  for  its  authenticity. 

An  Interesting  Reminiscence. — Among  the  many  pleas- 
ing reminiscences  of  G.  M.  Dorrance  is  the  following: 
"After  the  completion  of  the  present  Episcopal  Church 
edifice  in  1857,  a  son  of  Robert  Tyler,  was  the  first  child 
christened  in  the  new  church.  The  water  used  in  the  ser- 
vice was  brought  from  the  river  Jordan  in  Palestine.  The 
Tylers  lived  on  Radcliffe  street  in  the  residence  now  occu- 
pied by  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  and  in  celebration  of  the  chris- 
tening, Mrs.  Tyler  gave  a  dinner  to  a  number  of  friends." 

St.  James'  Graveyard. — South  of  the  present  church 
edifice  lie  the  remains  of  the  De  Normandies.  This  family 
held  feudal  tenures  in  the  province  of  Champagne,  France, 
the  title  of  the  head  of  the  house  being  Lord  de  la  Motte.    In 


56  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

1706,  Andrew  De  Normandie  and  his  two  sons,  John  Abra- 
ham and  John  Anthony,  came  to  America  in  the  role  of  per- 
secuted Huguonots.  The  father  died  in  1724,  and  the  head- 
stone raised  over  his  mortal  remains  bears  this  inscription: 

Andrew  De  Normandie, 

Dyed  ye  12th  of  Dec'er, 

1724.    Aged  73  years. 

The  sons,  who  in  succession  occupied  the  office  of  church 
warden,  are  interred  on  either  side  of  their  father.  Near  by 
the  graves  of  this  princely  family  is  the  resting  place  of 
Sarah  Bullock,  on  whose  gravestone  is  cut  the  family  coat- 
of-arms,  and  beneath  which  is  the  following: 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Sarah  Bullock, 

mother  of 

Thos.  Sugar,  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia, 

carpenter,  who  departed  this  life 

August  i6th,  1734.    Aged  34  years  and  six  months. 

On  the  reverse  side  is  rudely  carved  a  skull  and  epitaph: 

Who  e'er  thou  art,  with  tender  heart, 

Stay,  read  and  think  of  me, 
As  thou  art  now  so  once  was  I, 

As  I  am  now  so  shalt  thou  be. 

This  is  the  second  oldest  stone,  which  is  fully  decipherable. 
To  the  right  of  the  Landreth  lot  is  a  plain  grave  which  is: 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of 

Antonin  Furcy  Piquet, 
Knight  of  the  Order  of  St.  Lewis,  Capt.  of  the 
French  Navy  and  Consul  of  France  for  the 
States  of  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire  and 
Maine.  Born  in  France  in  the  year  1777.  Died 
in  Bristol,  August  31,  1815.  Requiescat  in 
pace. 

This  gentleman  carried  in  his  body  a  bullet  received  in  a 
duel  in  France.  Alongside  of  his  remains  are  interred 
those  of  his  femme  de  charge. 

Another  notable  grave  is  that  of  Captain  John  Clark,  of 
the  British  Troops,  who,  prior  to  the  Revolution,  settled  in 
Bristol.  At  one  time  the  captain  was  Worshipful  Master  of 
the  Bristol  Lodge  of  the  Masonic  Order.    Directly  north  of 


A  HISTORY  01?  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  5/ 

the  centre  of  the  yard  is  the  grave  of  Captain  John  Green,  of 
the  American  Merchant  Marine.  Captain  Green  was  the 
first  to  carry  the  American  flag  around  the  world  and  was 
the  original  importer  of  the  Shanghai  fowls. 

Near  Green's  grave  is  that  of  John  Clark,  Captain  of  the 
Tenth  United  Stated  Infantry,  who  met  his  death  in  a  duel 
with  a  quartermaster  of  his  regiment.  Ludwig,  the  infant 
son  of  Baron  Ludwig  Niedesteeter,  and  his  Baroness  Hor- 
tense,  is  buried  near  the  centre  of  the  yard.  Among  a  score 
of  stones  worthy  of  mention  are  noted  a  marble  in  memory 
of  Elizabeth,  wife  of  William  Hewson,F.  P.  S.,  Professor  of 
Anatomy  in  the  University  of  London.  A  small  headstone 
bears  the  name  of  George  Gillespie,  who  died  in  1781,  and 
was  the  grandfather  of  the  Bishop  of  Western  Michigan. 
The  great  English  actor,  Thomas  Cooper,  after  being  shame- 
fully driven  from  the  London  stage,  ended  his  days  in  Bris- 
tol. He  built  a  house  on  Radcliffe  street  and  for  several 
years  served  as  a  vestryman  of  this  parish.  At  his  decease 
he  was  interred  in  the  parish  graveyard.  The  lot  is  at  pres- 
ent surrounded  by  an  iron  fence,  the  gate  of  which  bears  the 
simple  inscription : 

Thomas  Cooper. 

Not  a  stone's  throw  from  the  tomb  of  Cooper  lies  another 
representative  of  the  English  playhouses,  John  Henry,  who  in 
1784,  was  carried  away  by  consumption.  His  remains  are 
interred  in  a  leaden  casket  which  is  surrounded  by  a  brick 
vault.  To  the  right  of  the  main  walk  is  the  granite  shaft 
raised  in  memory  of  David  Landreth,  the  father  of  the  seed 
industry  in  America.  Farther  on  are  the  graves  of  Brigadier 
General  Montgomery,  graduate  of  West  Point  in  1814,  and 
of  Captain  H.  Clay  Beatty.  Rowland  Stephenson,  member 
of  Parliament  and  a  London  banker,  is,  according  to  the 
records,  interred  somewhere  in  the  graveyard.  (From  writ- 
ings by  Mr.  G.  Morris  Dorrance.) 


58  A  HISTORY  OK  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 


EPOCH    III. 


From  1720,  the  Development  Into  a  Borough,  to  1775,  the 
Beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Introduction. — So  rapid  was  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  market  town  of  Bristol,  that  in  the  lapse  of  about 
twenty  years  (1718),  the  townspeople  then  deemed  it  essen- 
tial to  the  interests  of  the  place,  that  it  should  be  erected  into 
a  borough.  Whereupon,  Anthony  Burton,  John  Hall,  Wil- 
liam Watson,  Joseph  Bond  and  others,  petitioned  the  Colonial 
Government  therefor.  (Town  Records.)  A  "unanimous 
opinion"  was  expressed  in  its  favor ;  and  the  petitioners  were 
instructed  to  apply  to  their  Attorney  General  for  a  suitable 
draft  for  that  purpose,  which  they  immediately  did ;  and 
having  obtained  one  which  appeared  satisfactory  to  them,  it 
was  submitted  to  and  approved  by  the  Colonial  Board  on  the 
loth  of  July,  1720.  But  it  was  not  alone  necessary  to  obtain 
the  assent  of  the  local  government  here,  whose  powers  were 
exceedingly  limited,  but  every  important  public  measure  was 
required  to  be  submitted  directly  to  the  appropriation  or 
sanction  of  the  crown.  A  due  return  was  received  by  the 
anxious  expectants,  with  the  necessary  Letters  Patent :  bear- 
ing date  of  the  14th  of  November,  1720.  Following  is  a 
brief  synopsis  of  the  corporate  powers  of  this  ancient  grant. 
In  the  preamble  is  set  forth :  "George,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
of  Great  Britain,  France  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith, 
etc.,"  to  the  petitioners — "formerly  adventurers  into  the  Pro- 
vince of  Pennsylvania,  and  owners  of  a  certain  tract  or  site 
of  land  formerly  called  Buckingham,  in  the  County  of 
Bucks,  did  appropriate  several  of  their  lots,  lying  on  the 
River  Delaware,  to  build  and  settle  upon."    "And  that  many 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  59 

people  since  have  been  encouraged  to  erect  buildings,  lay  out 
public  streets,  as  also  to  erect  a  Church  and  Meetinghouse, 
and  caused  a  Courthouse  and  Prison  to  be  erected  there. 
And  we,  being  willing  to  promote  trade,  industry,  rule,  and 
good  order,  amongst  all  our  loving  subjects,  have  erected 
and  by  these  presents  do  erect  the  said  Town  of  Bristol  into 
a  borough."  Then  follow  the  courses  and  distances  of  the 
borough  bounds ;  the  names  and  regulation  of  the  streets  as 
laid  out;  reservation  for  wharves  and  landings;  Joseph  Bond 
and  John  Hall  to  be  present  Burgesses,  and  Thomas  Clifford, 
High  Constable ;  their  power  and  duties ;  H.  Constable  to  be 
clerk  of  the  market;  and  fairs  and  markets  established,  and 
a  general  grant  of  franchise  "unto  the  said  Burgess,  Con- 
stable, and  Inhabitants,  and  to  their  successors."  (Bache's 
History.) 

Election  of  Borough  Officers. — The  charter  did  not 
definitely  specify  anything  about  the  legislative  body,  and  as 
the  earliest  records  are  lost,  we  cannot  tell  what  was  the 
complete  organization  of  the  government,  but  it  was  prob- 
ably nearly  the  same  as  it  was  in  1832,  when  there  was  a 
common  council  of  six,  a  constable,  two  burgesses,  two  asses- 
sors and  a  pound  keeper.  There  was  to  be  an  annual  election 
on  a  fixed  day  each  year,  when  the  officers  were  to  be  nomi- 
nated and  elected  by  the  "freeholders,  officers  and  house- 
keepers of  the  borough."  The  burgess  first  chosen,  or  having 
a  majority  of  the  votes  in  an  election,  was  made  the  chief 
burgess  or  chief  magistrate  of  the  town.  The  other  was 
styled  the  second  burgess.  They  were  empowered  and 
authorized  to  be  "conservators  of  the  peace"  within  the  bor- 
ough, and  without  any  legal  proceedings  could  remove 
nuisances  and  encroachments  out  of  the  streets  and  landing 
places.  The  officers  were  to  be  fined  if  they  refused  to  serve. 
The  fine  was  not  to  exceed  ten  pounds  for  the  burgess  and 
five  for  the  constable.  Before  entering  upon  the  duties  of 
office  each  officer  was  to  take  an  oath  as  prescribed  by 
various  acts  of  Parliament;  Friends  were  exempt  from 
oaths  and  qualified  by  "taking  and  subscribing  the  attesta- 
tions or  engagements"  especially  allowed  to  them. 


60  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

The  chief  burgess  was  obhged  to  go  to  Philadelphia  with- 
in five  days  after  the  election  to  be  qualified  before  the 
governor  or  such  person  as  his  excellency  might  appoint  for 
the  purpose.  The  chief  burgess  could  then  qualify  the  other 
officers,  or  it  could  be  done  by  any  two  justices  of  the  peace 
in  the  county.  The  chief  burgess  was  a  justice  of  the  peace 
in  the  county  as  well  as  in  the  borough,  as  was  customary 
in  England  at  that  time.  It  was  the  same  with  the  chief 
burgess  in  the  other  boroughs  of  Pennsylvania,  but  it  seems 
to  have  been  objectionable  and  the  law  requiring  them  to  be 
justices  in  the  counties  was  repealed  by  legislation  before 
many  boroughs  were  created.  The  high  constable  of  Bristol 
was  made  the  clerk  of  the  market  and  could  have  "assize  of 
bread,  wine,  beer,  wood  and  other  things."  It  was  lawful  for 
the  burgesses  and  constables  to  summon  and  assemble  town 
meetings  whenever  they  thought  it  advisable.  At  these  meet- 
ings ordinances,  rules  and  by-laws  might  be  passed  if  not 
repugnant  to  the  laws  of  Great  Britain,  and  citizens  could 
repeal  or  amend  the  same.  Fines  could  also  be  imposed  for 
violations  of  ordinances. 

The  Town  Meeting. — The  inhabitants  of  Bristol  seem 
to  have  put  a  different  interpretation  upon  the  expression 
*'town  meeting"  from  that  of  other  boroughs.  The  town 
meeting  in  Bristol  was  nothing  but  the  meeting  of  town 
council,  burgesses  and  high  constable  and  sometimes  one  or 
two  other  officers,  as  the  pound  keeper.  This  is  shown  from 
the  borough  records,  which  for  many  years  called  all  council 
meetings,  "town  meetings."  Provision  was  made  in  most  of 
the  early  borough  charters  for  town  meetings  in  the  sense  of 
popular  assemblies  of  the  people,  but  they  were  only  called 
on  special  occasions  when  an  important  tax  was  to  be  laid 
or  a  charter  to  be  amended,  or  some  other  unusual  measure 
was  to  be  considered.  As  recently  as  1872,  at  a  council 
meeting  in  Bristol,  so  many  of  the  citizens  were  present  that 
they  resolved  themselves  into  a  town  meeting  to  discuss  the 
question  of  an  amendment  to  the  charter. 

Borough  Taxes. — The  rate  of  taxes  for  borough  pur- 
poses was  fixed  by  the  council.    In  17.'^.'^,  the  tax  levied  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI,  BOROUGH.  6l 

two  pence  per  pound  on  all  estates  and  six  shillings  a  head 
for  all  single  men.  In  1745,  at  a  time  of  much  expense  to 
the  town,  the  legislature  fixed  the  limit  of  taxation  at  three 
pence  a  pound.  Borough  finances  were  not  then  so  import- 
ant as  now.  It  was  in  the  days  before  the  public  schools. 
The  wants  of  our  forefathers  were  simpler  than  now,  and 
the  old  town  pump  answered  in  place  of  costly  waterworks. 
The  principal  items  of  expense  were  for  the  repair  and  care 
of  the  streets  which  were  under  the  supervision  of  the  bur- 
gess and  council.  The  taxes  of  the  town  were  assessed  by 
two  assessors  elected  by  the  people.  After  their  work  was 
done,  the  council  and  burgesses  set  a  day  for  hearing  appeals 
and  then  rectified  any  errors.  The  elections  were  not  always 
what  the  citizens  desired,  for  they  were  obliged  to  change 
the  place  of  voting  to  a  private  house  to  avoid  disturbances. 

Bristol  Visited  By  a  Great  Fire. — Davis'  History  of 
Bucks  County,  says :  "What  is  spoken  of  as  a  'great  fire,' 
broke  out  in  Bristol  in  1724,  but  the  value  of  the  property 
destroyed  is  not  known.  The  Friends  at  Abingfton  raised 
money  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers."  Some  idea  of  the 
size  of  the  town  in  the  early  part  of  the  centurv.  beginning 
with  1700,  can  be  gleaned  from  Oldmixon's  memoirs,  in 
which  he  tells  of  his  visit  to  the  town  in  1708,  and  speaks 
of  it  as  the  capital  of  Bucks  County,  containing  fifty  houses. 
Its  growth  and  development  following  the  fire  must  have 
been  slow,  for  we  find  in  1784,  Bristol  had  but  forty-five 
dweUings,  while  in  1790,  Scott's  Gazetteer  says  it  contained 
fifty  dwellings.  Another  authority  puts  down  the  dwellings 
at  ninety.  In  either  event,  its  growth  during  the  fifty  years, 
which  intervened,  from  the  time  of  the  fire,  until  it  began 
to  gain  prominence  as  a  fashionable  watering  place,  was 
decidedly  slow. 

Daniel    Boone    Born    in    Bristol    Township. — Daniel 

Boone,  the  great  hunter  and  pioneer  of  the  west,  is  thought 
to  have  been  born  in  Bristol  Township.  The  Boones  were  in 
the  county  early.  In  1728  we  find  that  Squire  Boone,  a 
weaver,  purchased  140  acres  in  New  Britain  Township,  of 
Thomas    Shute,    of    Philadelphia.      Solomon    "Boon"    or 


62  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

''Boom"  lived  in  Bristol  Township  before  1743,  and  died 
between  the  i6th  and  20th  of  December  of  that  year,  leaving 
sons  Ralph,  Joseph  and  Solomon,  and  daughter  Elizabeth. 
In  1745,  Solomon  was  a  signer  to  a  petition  to  the  court  to 
lay  out  a  road  from  his  plantation  to  Bristol.  These  Boones 
were  probably  of  the  lineage  of  Daniel.  George  Boone,  the 
grandfather  of  Daniel,  immigrated  with  his  wife  and  eleven 
children,  from  Exeter,  England,  in  1717;  settled  on  the 
banks  of  the  Delaware,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land. 
His  son.  Squire  Boone,  was  married  to  Sarah  Morgan  in 
September,  1720,  and  their  son,  Daniel,  the  great  pioneer, 
was  born  October  28th,  1734.  When  about  ten  years  of  age, 
his  father  removed  with  his  family  to  Berks  county,  near 
Reading,  then  a  frontier  settlement,  where  Daniel  became  an 
expert  hunter.  When  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  of  age  the 
family  went  to  North  Carolina,  and  settled  on  the  Yadkin. 
From  about  this  time  we  date  his  great  exploits  as  a  hunter 
and  frontiersman,  and  his  career  is  too  well  known  to  need 
repeating  here.  No  other  Bucks  Countian  of  the  last  century 
became  so  famous.  He  died  in  Missouri,  September  26th, 
1822.  We  do  not  think  there  is  any  doubt  about  Daniel 
Boone  being  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  although  the  location 
of  his  birthplace  may  not  be  entirely  accurate.  At  the  time 
of  his  death,  the  newspapers  of  Missouri,  published  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  home,  stated  that  he  was  born  in  Bucks  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  about  1730.  William  Stewart,  son  of 
Charles  Stewart,  who  lived  and  died  in  Upper  Wakefield,  who 
was  brought  up  in  that  township,  and  accompanied  Daniel 
Boone  on  his  second  visit  to  Kentucky,  and  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Blue  Licks,  declared  in  his  Hfetime,  that  he  was  a 
schoolmate  of  Boone,  and  his  descendents  assert  it  to  this 
day. 

The  Golden  Age. — During  the  quarter  of  a  century  from 
1735  to  1760,  times  were  so  prosperous  that  it  was  called  the 
"golden  age,"  and  was  decreed  the  happiest  period  since 
the  settlement  of  the  province.  Industry,  fertile  fields  and 
favorable  seasons  blessed  the  farmer's  labors  with  large  in- 
crease, but  while  riches  sensibly  increased,  the  people  lived 
without  any  appearance   of  luxury.     Good   dwellings   and 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  63 

comfortable  barns  had  been  built,  and  comforts  and  con- 
veniences were  added  by  degrees,  but  dress  and  furniture 
were  plain.  The  wooden  trencher  and  pewter  spoon  were 
used  by  the  most  wealthy,  and  simplicity  prevailed  every- 
where. For  pastime  men  hunted  and  fished,  while  the  women, 
who  married  young  and  raised  large  families  of  children, 
were  principally  occupied  with  household  duties.  During  the 
''golden  age,"  a  grand  religious  festival,  lasting  three  days, 
,  was  held  at  the  Wrightstown  meeting-house,  to  give  thanks 
for  the  bounties  of  Providence.  People  came  to  it  from  a 
long  distance,  and  were  known  to  travel  ten  or  twelve  miles 
on  foot  to  attend  it.  The  intercourse  with  Philadelphia  was 
then  limited,  and  the  luxuries  of  the  cities  had  not  found 
their  way  into  the  country. 

House  of  Correction. — At  the  first  provincial  assembly- 
held  at  Philadelphia,  in  March,  1683,  a  house  of  correction 
was  ordered  for  each  county,  24  x  16  feet,  that  for  Bucks 
being  located  at  Bristol.  The  poor  who  received  relief  from 
the  county  with  their  families,  were  obliged  to  wear  the  letter 
P,  made  of  red  or  blue  cloth,  with  the  first  letter  of  the  name 
of  the  place  they  inhabited,  in  a  conspicuous  place  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  right  sleeve.  In  that  dav.  it  seems  the  un- 
fortunate poor  had  no  rights  the  authorities  were  bound  to 
respect. 

The  workhouse  (house  of  correction),  was  not  erected 
until  17*22,  and  was  replaced  by  a  new  one  in  1745.  Its 
building  was  authorized  by  act  of  assembly  of  February  22, 
17 18,  to  be  built  at  the  expense  of  the  county  within  three 
years,  to  be  managed  by  a  president,  treasurer  and  assist- 
ants, and  not  more  than  £100  were  to  be  raised  yearly  for  its 
support.  As  the  house  was  not  built  within  the  three  years 
specified,  it  must  have  been  erected  under  a  subsequent  act- 
By  act  of  March  i,  1745,  the  common  council  of  Bristol  was 
authorized  to  erect  a  workhouse  in  the  town,  which  is  prob- 
ably the  one  which  stood  on  Beaver  Street  near  Garden  and 
for  years  was  the  home  of  Richard  Corson.  Recently  (1910) 
the  land  was  purchased  by  the  Barrett  Brothers  for  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  and  the  old  building 
torn  down. 


64  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH. 

The  First  Stage  Wagons. — A  line  of  stage  wagons  was 
established  in  1732  between  Amboy  and  Burlington  by 
Thomas  Moore  and  Solomon  Smith.  New  York  and  Phil- 
adelphia were  the  objective  points,  and  terminal  connec- 
tions were  made  with  both  places  by  sailing  vessels. 
Bordentown  was  the  terminal  point  of  a  rival  line  in  1734, 
and  in  1751  the  boats  to  both  places  were  controlled  by 
Borden,  Richards,  Wright  and  others.  In  1745  John 
Dalley,  surveyor,  stated  that  he  had  just  made  survey  of 
the  road  from  Trenton  to  Amboy,  and  had  set  up  marks  at 
every  two  miles  to  guide  the  traveler.  It  was  done  by 
private  subscription,  and  he  proposed  to  do  the  whole 
road  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York  in  the  same  way  if  a 
sum  would  be  made  up.  The  proposed  improvement  of 
the  road  below  Trenton  was  not  effected;  hence  the  fact 
that  the  stage  wagons  went  no  further  beyond  that  point 
than  was  necessary  to  conveniently  meet  the  packets. 
Joseph  Borden,  Jr.,  in  1753,  was  running  a  "stage  boat" 
from  Philadelphia  to  Bordentown,  from  whence  the  jour- 
ney to  Amboy  was  continued  by  "stage  wagon."  This 
was  claimed  to  be  the  most  expeditious  route  in  operation 
at  that  time.  It  does  not  appear  that  John  Dalley  sur- 
veyed the  road  between  Trenton  and  Philadelphia ;  but  it 
was  much  improved  at  various  times,  and  those  interested 
in  the  stage  business  began  to  consider  whether  a  wagon 
might  not  compete  in  time  with  the  packet  between  the 
city  and  Trenton.  At  this  time  there  were  a  number  of 
gentlemen  of  sporting  proclivities  at  Philadelphia  who 
indulged  in  fox  hunting.  They  kept  a  famous  kennel  of 
hounds,  with  John  Butler  as  keeper.  He  was  greatly  in 
favor  with  his  employers ;  and  when  it  became  necessary 
to  disperse  the  kennel  because  the  country  became  so 
thickly  settled  as  to  interfere  with  their  sport,  they 
established  him  in  business  as  the  proprietor  of  a  stage 
wagon.  He  at  once  instituted  a  new  departure,  and  prac- 
tically demonstrated  the  superior  speed  of  his  vehicle  as 
compared  with  that  of  the  packet.  Leaving  the  "Sign  of 
the  Death  of  the  Fox,"  the  favorite  resort  of  his  former 
patrons,  his  route  followed  the  west  bank  of  the  Dela- 
ware, crossed  that  stream  at  Trenton,  and  thence  pro- 
ceeded to  Amboy.     His  journey  to  New  York  required 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  65 

three  days.    This  was  the  first  stage  route  through  Bris- 
tol, and  Bucks  County,  as  well. 

It  enjoyed  a  monopoly  in  this  respect  during  the  fol- 
lowing ten  years.  An  opposition  line  over  the  same  route 
was  established  in  1765,  in  which  four  owners  were  con- 
cerned. They  introduced  covered  Jersey  wagons,  and 
reduced  the  fare  to  two  pence  a  mile,  but  did  not  reduce 
the  time  of  the  journey,  which  was  still  three  days.  A 
third  line  between  the  two  cities  was  established  in  1766 
by  John  Barnhill.  He  improved  the  stage  wagon  by  plac- 
ing the  seats  on  springs,  and  also  the  speed  of  his  vehicles, 
which  traversed  the  distance  from  Elm  Street,  near  Vice, 
in  Philadelphia,  by  way  of  the  "Blazing  Star"  Ferry,  to 
Amboy  in  two  days.  This  achievement  was  without  a 
precedent  in  the  previous  history  of  staging,  and  secured 
for  his  wagons  the  modest  title  of  "Flying  Machines."  In 
.1773  Charles  Bessonett  engaged  in  the  business,  and 
speedily  rendered  his  the  most  popular  coaches  on  the 
road.  He  regarded  the  ferry  over  the  Neshaminy  a  great 
obstacle  to  rapid  transit,  and  that  it  might  be  obviated, 
secured  from  the  legislature,  in  1785,  authority  to  lay  out 
a  private  road  between  the  sixteenth  milestones  of  what  is 
now  the  Frankford  and  Bristol  Turnpike,  construct  a 
ferry  or  bridge  over  the  creek,  and  collect  tolls  for  the  use 
of  the  same.  The  approaches  for  a  floating  bridge  and 
rope  ferry  were  constructed,  but  when  nearly  completed 
a  violent  flood  destroyed  the  most  expensive  portion  of 
the  work,  entailing  serious  loss  upon  the  projector.  The 
remains  of  the  abutments  are  still  seen  about  half  a  mile 
above  Bridgewater.  Graham  Johnson  was  associated  with 
Mr.  Bessonnett  in  this  enterprise,  and  like  him  was  a 
veteran  stage  manager. 

The  Rev.  George  Whitfield  Visits  Bristol.— On  May 
7,  1745,  the  Rev.  George  Whitefield,  whose  coming  to 
America  in  1739,  gave  a  new  impetus  to  the  religious 
enthusiasm  already  prevailing,  crossed  the  river  from 
Burlington  to  Bristol,  where  he  preached  to  about  four 
hundred  people,  and  then  returned  to  Philadelphia.  At 
this  time  Whitefield  is  described  as  "of  middle  stature, 
slender  body,  fair   complexion,  comely  appearance  and 


66 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


extremely  bashful  and  modest.  His  delivery  was  warm 
and  affectionate,  and  his  gestures  natural,  and  the  most 
beautiful  imaginable."  He  had  a  loud  and  clear  voice, 
and  articulated  his  words  so  perfectly  that  he  might  be 
heard  and  understood  at  a  great  distance. 

Bristol's  Hotels. — The  late  William  Kinsey  in  a  news- 
paper article  written  in  1885,  gives  the  following  inter- 
esting account  of  Bristol's  first  hotels : 

"A  history  of  the  hotels  in  Bristol  will  show  that  the 
number  of  licensed  houses  now  are  the  same  as  in  the 


M.,m  e 


umt 


HOTEL  CLOSSON. 


year  1748.  The  old  borough  records  show  that  Patrick 
Hanlon  kept  the  ferry  house  at  the  foot  of  Mill  street 
as  early  as  1730.  The  records  at  Doylestown  show  that 
the  first  petition  for  license  to  keep  a  public  house  in 
Bristol  was  presented  by  Thomas  Brock,  in  1705.  As  a 
recommendation  he  states  that  he  has  resided  in  the 
county  for  a  number  of  years,  and  had  been  engaged  in 
keeping  a  public  house.  In  1728,  the  records  show  that 
Henry  Betz,  James  Moore  and  Evan  Harris  applied  for 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  ^J 

license  to  keep  public  houses  in  Bristol.  The  petitions  do 
not  give  the  names  of  the  houses  for  which  licenses  were 
asked.  In  1768  the  records  show  that  licenses  were 
granted  to  the  following  persons  to  keep  hotels  in  Bristol : 
Mrs.  Rachel  Jackson,  located  in  Bath  street,  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  the  Clossen  House;  Robert  Reese,  to 
keep  the  Rising  Sun,  in  Mill  Street,  on  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  the  brick  dwelling  owned  by  J.  and  A.  Dorrance ; 
John  Dowdney,  to  keep  the  King  of  Prussia,  corner  of 
Mill  and  Pond  Streets  (now  the  Bell  property)  ;  Charles 
Bessonett,  George  the  Third,  at  the  foot  of  Mill  Street, 
now  the  Delaware  House. 

In  1785,  Archibald  McElroy  built  the  Cross  Keys  and 
kept  one  of  the  best  houses  of  entertainment  in  the  bor- 
ough. In  1839  it  was  sold  by  the  Sheriff  and  bought  by 
David  Swain,  who  altered  it  into  two  dwelling  houses 
now  owned  by  Mrs.  A.  Weir  Gilkeson  and  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  as  a  parsonage. 

In  1790,  the  Rising  Sun  having  been  sold  to  the  Bristol 
Mills  for  a  private  residence,  John  Baldwin  petitioned  the 
court  for  a  license  to  keep  a  hotel  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  street,  now  the  Railroad  House.  I  do  not  recollect 
the  name  of  the  hotel  in  its  early  days.  In  1815  it  was 
called  the  General  Brown,  after  the  distinguished  Major 
General  Brown,  of  the  U.  S.  A.,  who  was  born  in  Bucks 
County,  of  Quaker  parentage,  in  1775. 

In  1824  Gilbert  Mitchell  applied  for  license  to  keep 
a  public  house  in  the  building  torn  down  to  make  room 
for  the  Patton  House  (now  Rommell  Hotel),  at  the  foot 
of  Mill  street.  It  was  a  failure  and  was  closed  by  sheriff's 
sale  in  less  than  two  years  after  it  was  licensed. 

In  1838  Benjamin  Blinn  opened  a  temperance  house  in 
the  building  later  occupied  as  the  Cottage  Hotel.  It  was 
short  lived;  like  all  other  temperance  hotels  opened  in 
Bucks  County,  it  died  for  want  of  patronage.  It  was 
afterwards  licensed  and  is  now  the  Silbert  House. 

In  1854  Archibald  Vanhorn  petitioned  the  court  for  a 
license  to  keep  a  public  house  in  Bath  Street.  There  was 
a  strong  remonstrance  against  granting  the  license,  but 
he  succeeded  and  opened  the  Farmers'  Hotel;  in  1857  it 
was  sold  and  is  now  occupied  as  a  private  residence. 


68  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

In  1857  William  Earley  applied  to  the  court  for  license 
to  open  a  public  house  on  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Bath 
Streets,  to  be  called  the  Exchange  Hotel,  now  the  Clos- 
son  House.  There  was  a  numerously  signed  remon- 
strance against  granting  the  license,  but  he  succeeded  in 
making  the  court  believe  the  hotel  was  necessary  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  boatmen  on  the  canal. 

Since  the  year  1705,  there  has  been  established  and 
licensed  by  the  courts  ten  public  hotels,  the  oldest  of 
which  is  the  Delaware  House,  originally  George  the 
Second,  opened  in  1765.  The  Bath,  kept  by  Mr.  Minick, 
as  a  boarding  house,  also  had  license  to  sell  liquor. 

The  Fairs. — The  charter  of  the  borough  authorized  the 
holding  of  fairs;  the  time  fixed  was  two  days  in  the 
month  of  May,  and  three  in  October.  They  were  to  be 
under  the  direction  of  Burgess,  and  were  held  in  Mar- 
ket and  Cedar  Streets.  It  was  a  great  day  in  Bristol 
when  the  time  arrived  for  opening  the  fairs.  People  of 
all  classes  and  from  all  parts  of  the  surrounding  country, 
came  to  sell  their  wares  and  others  to  purchase  and  have 
a  frolic.  Booths  were  erected  on  Cedar  and  Market  Streets  by 
the  borough  and  rented  to  persons  having  goods  to  sell.  The 
young  men  came  on  horse  back  in  their  shirt  sleeves  with 
their  sweethearts  behind  them,  their  coats  tied  behind 
the  saddle,  in  which  was  a  pair  of  thm-soled  shoes  for 
dancing.  The  girls  wore  two  pairs  of  stockings,  the 
inner  pair  were  white  and  the  outer  ones  of  colored  yarns 
to  protect  them  from  getting  soiled.  Previous  to  com- 
mencing a  dance,  the  outer  ones  were  taken  off.  There 
were  several  dance  houses  in  that  day,  some  of  which 
were  continued  for  many  years.  Negro  slaves  were 
allowed  by  their  masters  to  attend  on  the  last  day  of  the 
fair,  when  they  came  together  in  droves  and  had  a  grand 
jubilee.  The  dances  differed  in  those  days  from  the  pres- 
ent mode  of  skij^ping  over  the  floor.  Jigs,  Virginia  reels, 
hip  seesaws  and  the  grand  old  dance,  huggin'  snug,  were 
the  most  prominent.  Jigs  were  danced  by  two  persons 
to  the  tune  of  the  devil's  hornpipe.  Good  dancers  could 
repeat  the  tune  with  their  feet.  Huggin'  snug  was  a 
dance    in   which    eight   persons    were    engaged,    equally 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  69 

divided  between  male  and  female.  They  arranged  them- 
selves on  the  floor  in  a  square,  and  danced  to  each  other 
to  the  tune  of  "The  Girl  I  Left  Behind  Me."  When  the 
fiddler  would  call  out  reel,  they  would  clasp  each  other 
around  the  waist  and  go  round  in  a  circle  at  great  speed, 
three  or  four  times,  then  again  form  the  square  and  dance 
on.  This  was  an  affectionate  dance,  very  popular  with 
the  old  and  young. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  fairs  became  very  unpopular, 
the  lawlessness  and  crime  engendered  at  these  popular 
gatherings  at  last  became  so  great,  that  on  the  loth  of 
November,  1773,  the  burgess  and  council  resolved  that 
the  fair  was  useless  on  account  of  the  large  number  of 
stores,  and  that  the  "debauchery,  idleness  and  drunken- 
ness consequent  on  the  meeting  of  the  lowest  class  of 
people  together  is  a  real  evil,  and  calls  for  redress."  They 
had  no  authority,  however,  to  abolish  them,  as  they  were 
granted  in  the  charter,  so  the  legislature  was  applied  to, 
and  the  relief  asked  for  was  given  in  1796. 

Bristol  in  1748. — In  the  fall  of  1748,  Professor  Peter 
Kalm,  a  distinguished  foreigner  from  Sweden,  traveled 
through  the  lower  part  of  Bucks  County,  enroute  from 
Philadelphia  to  New  York.  He  crossed  the  Neshaminy 
by  ferrying,  paying  three  pence  for  each  person  and  his 
horse,  and  continuing  up  the  river,  he  says :  "About  noon 
we  came  to  (New)  Bristol,  a  small  town  in  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  bank  of  the  Delaware,  about  fifteen  English  miles 
from  Philadelphia.  Most  of  the  houses  are  built  of  stone, 
and  stand  asunder.  The  inhabitants  carry  on  a  small 
trade,  though  most  of  them  get  their  goods  from  Phila- 
delphia. On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  almost 
directly  opposite  Bristol,  lies  the  town  of  Burlington." 

Improved  Style  in  Living. — The  war  between  France 
and  England,  in  1754,  changed  the  situation  of  things  in 
several  respects.  A  more  plentiful  supply  of  money 
stimulated  trade  and  improvements,  and  raised  prices. 
Wheat  went  up  to  a  dollar  a  bushel.  Taxes  were  raised 
to  pay  oi¥  the  war  debt,  but  the  burden  was  not  felt,  be- 
cause of  the  increased  ability  to  pay.  The  importation  of 
foreign  goods  was  largely  increased,  and  many  luxuries 


yo  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

were  brought  into  the  country,  among  which  were  cali- 
coes and  other  expensive  articles  for  women  and  men's 
wear.  Fashion  now  intruded  itself  among  the  rural 
population,  to  change  with  each  year,  and  household 
furniture  was  increased  in  quantity  and  improved  in 
quality.  With  this  improved  style  in  living  and  taste  in 
dress,  was  introduced  the  distinction  between  rich  and 
poor,  which  grew  up  almost  insensibly,  and  was  main- 
tained with  considerable  rigor  in  colonial  times.  Those 
who  had  the  means  now  bought  foreign  goods,  and 
homespun  was  discarded.  Habits  of  luxury  were  thus 
introduced,  and  the  simple,  but  virtuous  society  of  our 
ancestors  split  upon  the  rock  of  fashion.  Bristol  was  at 
this  time  a  thriving  market  town,  and  being  the  port  of 
entry  for  foreign  goods,  for  all  the  surrounding  country, 
'was  susceptible  to  this  new  condition  in  society. 

William     Mcllvane     and     Alexander     Graydon. — The 

ancient  records  show  that  in  1752,  a  conveyance  was 
made  by  William  Whittaker  and  wife,  to  Alexander 
Graydon  and  William  Mcllvane,  for  a  tract  of  1,000  acres 
of  land,  which  embraced  all  of  the  eastern  section  of  the 
borough,  having  a  frontage  of  217  perches  on  the  river. 
A  part  of  the  tract  which  is  now  covered  by  the  mills, 
was  meadow  land  and  considered  in  those  days  the  most 
valuable  part  of  the  farm.  It  was  the  opinion  of  farmers 
that  grass  could  not  be  grown  on  upland,  and  it,  there- 
fore, was  necessary  to  have  a  portion  of  meadow  to  raise 
grass  to  feed  the  cattle  in  summer  and  winter.  Clover 
and  timothy  seed  were  not  introduced  into  the  country 
until  a  later  date. 

The  Mcllvanes  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in 
Bristol,  and  was  a  family  of  wealth  and  influence.  Wil- 
liam Mcllvane  practiced  medicine  in  Bristol  before  he 
removed  to  Philadelphia.  His  father  sent  him  to  Edin- 
burg,  Scotland,  to  complete  his  education  in  the  science 
of  medicine.  He  returned  to  Bristol  and  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  talents,  integrity  and  zeal.  The  old 
tax  records  show  that  he  was  assessed  for  sixty  ounces 
of  silver  ware,  being  the  owner  of  more  than  one-half  the 
silver  owned  by  all  the  other  inhabitants. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  7I 

Alexander  Graydon  was  a  prominent  citizen  and  re- 
lated to  the  Mcllvanes  by  marriage.  He  wrote  the  his- 
tory of  Bristol,  in  1756,  in  which  he  says: 

"The  great  road  leading  from  Philadelphia  to  New 
York,  skirting  the  inlet  at  the  head  of  which  stands  the 
mills,  and  thence  turning  short  to  the  left  along  the 
Delaware,  formed  the  principal  street,  called  Mill  Street, 
120  perches  long  and  three  perches  wide.  This  was  the 
only  street  marked  by  a  continuity  of  buildings.  A  few 
other  streets  were  opened  from  the  main  one,  on  which 
here  and  there  stood  an  humble  dwelling." 

He  says  at  a  corner  of  one  of  these  streets  stood  a 
Quaker  meeting  house,  and  at  a  remote  spot  a  small 
Episcopal  Church,  "whole  lonely  graveyard  with  its  sur- 
rounding woody  scenery,  might  have  furnished  an  appro- 
priate theme  for  such  a  muse  as  Gray's.  These,  together 
with  an  old  brick  jail,  constitute  all  the  public  edifices 
of  this,  my  native  town." 

Captain  Graydon,  the  author  of  this  early  sketch  of 
Bristol,  was  the  son  of  an  Irishman  who  came  to  this 
country  about  1730.  His  mother,  the  daughter  of  a 
Barbadoes  merchant,  was  a  native  of  Frankfort-on-the- 
Main,  and  he  was  born  in  Bristol  the  lOth  of  April,  1732. 
At  his  father's  death  his  mother  removed  to  Philadelphia 
and  opened  a  boarding  house,  the  resort  of  the  leading 
colonial  worthies  of  the  day.  When  the  Revolution  broke 
out,  young  Graydon  espoused  the  cause  of  the  colonies, 
and  was  appointed  a  captain  in  Colonel  John  Shee's 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  in  January,  1776.  He  recruited 
for  his  company  at  Attleborough,  Newtown  and  New- 
hope.  He  was  made  prisoner  at  Fort  Washington,  and 
exchanged  at  the  end  of  two  years,  but  did  not  re-enter 
the  military  service.  After  the  war,  he  was  appointed 
Prothonotary  of  Dauphin  County,  and  died  there.  He 
was  a  gentleman  of  culture  and  ability,  and  maintained 
a  good  position  in  society.  ^  At  the  time  of  which  Captain 
Graydon  wrote,  all  the  'inhabitants  of  Bristol  were 
Friends,  with  the  exception  of  the  De  Normandies  and 
two  or  three  other  families. 

In  writing  about  this  tract  of  land,  owned  by  Mcllvaine 
and  Graydon,  the  late  William  Kinsey  gave  the  following 


y2  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

interesting  reminiscence.  "My  mind  reverts  back  to  my 
boyhood  days,  when  a  part  of  this  tract  lying  on  the  river 
front,  between  Walter  Laing's  residence  and  Hollow 
Creek,  was  covered  with  heavy  pine  timber,  in  the  midst 
of  which  stood  a  small  house  occupied  by  a  half-blood 
Indian,  who  went  by  the  name  of  Sambo,  and  his  wife, 
who  professed  to  be  a  conjuror  and  fortune  teller.  Many 
were  the  lads  and  lassies  who  went  there  to  have  their 
fortunes  told.  Aunt  Judy,  as  she  was  called,  was  a 
mulatto,  and  straight  as  an  arrow,  thin  lips  and  piercing 
black  eyes.  She  professed  to  point  out  to  any  one  who 
would  pay  her  a  small  charge,  what  their  fortune  would 
be,  for  weal  or  woe,  by  the  use  of  a  pack  of  cards.  She 
would  shuffle  the  cards  and  request  you  to  cut  them.  If 
the  first  card  she  turned  up  happened  to  be  a  Queen,  then 
you  would  be  sure  to  marry  a  woman  of  wealth  and 
beauty.  If  it  should  be  a  King,  then  the  girl  would  marry 
a  man  of  wealth  and  influence  and  she  would  be  a  great 
lady.  The  Seven  of  Clubs  for  men  and  the  Ten  of  Hearts 
for  women,  were  lucky  cards.  Diamonds  were  sure  to 
indicate  early  and  happy  marriages.  If  it  happened  to  be 
spades,  then  your  life  would  be  one  of  sorrow  and  dis-. 
appointment.  Happily  those  days  of  superstition  and 
necromancy  have  passed  away." 

Bristol  College. — On  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  three 
miles  below  Bristol,  stands  what  is  known  as  Bristol 
College.  About  1778,  the  farm  belonged  to  one  Benger, 
an  Irish  sporting  gentleman,  who  imported  the  famous 
horse  Messenger,  which  he  purchased  of  a  brother  of  the 
Duke  of  York.  It  was  then  called  Benger's  Mount.  He 
sold  it  to  Andreas  Evarandus  Van  Braam  Honchgust, 
the  governor  of  an  East  India  island,  who  retired  to  this 
country  on  the  island  being  taken  by  the  British.  He  erected 
an  elegant  mansion  and  called  it  China  Retreat.  The 
marble  used  in  the  construction  of  this  building  was 
brought  up  the  river  by  Samuel  Hibbs,  of  Bensalem,  in 
a  shallop.  In  1798  he  sold  the  property,  containing  361 
acres  and  thirty  perches,  to  Captain  Walter  Sims,  for 
£10,706,  whose  father-in-law,  Captain  John  Green,  who 
lived  on  the  Roberts' farm,  near  Newportville,was  the  first 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  73 

American  sea  captain  who  carried  our  flag  to  China.  He 
made  the  round  trip  in  about  a  year,  passing  through  the 
straits  of  Sunda.  He  was  also  the  first  to  import  a  full 
set  of  chinaware  direct  from  China  into  the  United  States 
about  1772,  and  to  import  Shanghai  chickens,  from  a 
cross  with  which  comes  our  celebrated  Bucks  County 
chickens.  Captain  Green  died  in  1797,  and  was  buried 
in  Saint  James'  Churchyard,  Bristol.  China  retreat 
was  turned  into  a  seat  of  learning  in  1833,  and  organized 
as  Bristol  College,  with  the  Rev.  Chauncey  Colton,  D. 
D.,  president,  and  under  the  patronage  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  Additional  buildings  were  erected,  and  at  one 
time  as  many  as  eighty  or  one  hundred  students  were  in 
attendance.  It  ran  its  course  in  a  few  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  a  classical  school.  In  1842  the  late  Captain 
Alden  Partridge,  one  of  the  earliest  superintendents  at 
West  Point,  opened  a  military^  school  in  the  China  Re- 
treat Building,  which  was  kept  up  for  about  three  years. 
During  the  late  civil  war  the  buildings  were  occupied  as 
a  military  hospital,  and  later  were  used  for  a  state  school 
for  the  education  of  colored  soldiers'  orphans.  Subse- 
'quently  the  land  was  used  as  a  picnic  grounds  and  known 
as  College  Park.  Today  the  property  is  occupied  as  a 
private  residence. 

His  Majesty's  Troops  Visit  Bristol. — Bristol,  lying  on 
the  great  highway,  was  frequently  before  the  Revolution, 
visited  by  bodies  of  troops.  The  old  records  say,  that  in 
I757>  two  hundred  troops  of  His  Majesty,  King  George, 
were  billetted  on  the  inhabitants.  The  bill  for  their  ex- 
penses was  presented  to  the  county  commissioners  for 
payment.  They  refused  to  pay  and  the  borough  had  to 
meet  the  expense. 

George  the  Second — Now  Delaware  House. — In  1765, 
Charles  Bessonett  built  the  George  the  Second  Hotel, 
now  the  Delaware  House,  on  the  site  of  the  Ferry  House, 
and  was  kept  by  him  for  many  years.  After  his  death  his 
son  John  succeeded  him,  of  whom  it  is  said  he  was  never 
known  to  drink  a  glass  of  liquor.  This  was  a  famous 
house  in  its  early  days.     It  had  the  reputation  of  being 


74- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


one  of  the  best  hotels  between  Philadelphia  and  New 
York.  In  the  summer  season  it  would  be  taxed  to  its 
utmost  capacity  to  accommodate  the  people  who  came  to 
Bristol  from  all  parts  of  the  country  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Bath  spring  waters. 


deivAware;  house. 

During  the  Revolutionary  War,  a  company  of  Yankee 
troops  arrived  in  Bristol  and  encamped  in  the  wood  on 
the  farm  owned  by  James  Rogers.  It  was  afterwards 
called  the  Yankee  woods.  The  next  day  they  marched 
into  town ;  when  they  came  to  the  King  of  Prussia  at  the 
corner  of  Mill  and  Pond  streets,  they  gave  three  cheers. 
The  landlord  called  them  in  and  treated,  being  pleased 
with  the  compliment.  They  marched  down  the  street  to 
Bessonett's  Hotel,  an  seeing  the  sign  of  King  George  the 
Second,  they  commenced  to  fire  at  it,  and  did  not  stop 
until  it  fell  out  of  its  frame.  After  the  war  Mr.  Bessonett 
erected  a  new  sign  representing  a  fountain.  It  was  much 
admired  in  its  day.  This  is  the  oldest  public  house  in 
Bristol. 

Charles  Bessonett. — Mr.  Bessonett  came  from  France 
and  settled  in  Bristol  as  early  as  1730.     He  was  a  brick 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  75 

layer  by  trade  and  built  many  houses  in  Bristol,  making 
his  bricks  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Leedom  mills. 
He  built  the  George  the  Second  Hotel,  now  the  Dela- 
ware House,  in  1765,  and  in  1773  started  a  stage  coach 
line  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York.  In  his  adver- 
tisement to  the  public  he  says:  "Unparalleled  speed. 
From  Philadelphia  to  New  York  in  two  days,  fare  $4.00. 
Comfort  and  safety  assured."  The  return  of  the  asses- 
sors for  the  year  1785,  show  that  he  was  assessed  for  one 
building,  sixteen  horses,  two  cattle,  one  bound  servant, 
three  negro  slaves,  two  stage  wagons,  one  ferry  and  his 
occupation,  upon  which  he  paid  a  tax  of  £3  i  shilling, 
being  the  largest  tax  payer  in  the  borough.  His  three 
slaves  were  valued  at  £100.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
left  five  children,  John,  James,  Charles,  Daniel  and  Mary, 
with  a  large  and  valuable  real  estate,  not  a  foot  of  which 
is  now  in  possession  of  any  of  his  descendants. 

Market  House. — The  building  of  a  market  house  was 
broached  at  the  town  meeting  held  in  September,  1753.  A 
year  later  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  a  market  house 
for  the  use  of  the  borough  should  be  erected  in  the  middle 
of  Mill  Street,  opposite  Cedar.  The  market  house  was 
not  erected,  however,  until  1768.  It  took  fourteen  years 
of  talking  and  wrangling  before  the  building  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  £28,  13s.  6d.  A  storm  blew  the  market  house 
down  in  the  fall  in  1773,  and  in  April,  1774,  John  and 
Charles  Bessonett  were  given  the  contract  to  rebuild  it 
in  the  same  place.  In  1790  the  market  house  was  moved 
to  the  centre  of  the  square  formed  by  the  intersection  of 
Market  and  Cedar  Streets.  The  old  building  was  torn 
down  about  1871. 

A  Distinguished  Friend. — James  Thornton,  a  dis- 
tinguished minister  among  Friends,  passed  several  years 
of  his  life  in  Bristol.  He  was  born  at  Stony-Stratford,  in 
Buckinghamshire,  England,  in  1727,  and  landed  in  Phila- 
delphia in  1760.  He  afterward  married  and  settled  in 
Byberry,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and 
died  there  June  24,  1794,  in  his  sixty-seventh  year. 
6 


y^  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Anti-Revolutionary  Houses. — Several  houses  of  the 
anti-revolutionary  period  survived  the  condition  of 
society  under  which  they  were  built,  and  have  only  been 
demolished  within  the  last  twenty-five  years.  Of  the 
three  oldest,  one,  a  brick  building,  was  situated  at  the 
foot  of  Wood  Street,  on  land  formerly  owned  by  John 
McGinley.  It  was  occupied  at  one  time  by  William 
Davis,  a  shipbuilder,  who  built  some  of  the  fastest  sailing 
vessels  of  his  day.  Another  old  house,  which  was  demol- 
ished in  the  year  1887,  was  that  of  Mrs.  Closson,  adjoin- 
ing the  Hotel  Closson,  on  Bath  Street.  It  must  have 
been  a  house  of  some  note,  for  the  assessed  valuation  as 
given  in  an  old  record,  was  i350,  the  highest  sum 
assessed  upon  any  of  the  fifty-three  houses  in  Bristol  in 
that  day.  Mr.  John  Gosline,  chief  burgess  for  many 
years,  a  large  land  owner  and  prominent  Free  Mason, 
lived  here  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  The 
house  now  owned  by  John  McOwen,  in  Mill  Street,  is 
thought  to  have  been  one  of  the  first  brick  buildings 
erected  in  the  borough.  These  three  houses  are  supposed 
to  have  been  built  prior  to  1720.  Among  other  old  build- 
ings are  the  Friends'  meeting  house,  at  the  corner  of 
Market  and  Wood  Streets,  erected  in  1713,  and  the  house 
of  Richard  Corson,  which  was  built  in  1745,  as  a  work- 
house, on  the  Beaver  Dam  Road,  and  recently  demol- 
ished by  the  Barrett  Brothers.  The  oldest  hotel  in  Bris- 
tol is  the  Delaware  House.  It  was  originally  opened  as 
the  "George  the  Second,"  in  1765,  by  Charles  Bessonett, 
a  Frenchman,  who  settled  in  Bristol  in  1730. 

Repairs  to  Streets. — Mention  of  repairing  the  streets 
occurs  in  the  records  at  an  early  period,  and  it  appears 
that  as  early  as  1769,  half  the  money  realized  from  fines, 
was  applied  to  this  purpose.  In  March,  1798,  Mill  Street 
was  declared  to  be  impassable,  and  a  number  of  the  in- 
habitants subscribed  a  sum  of  money  for  its  repair.  No 
systematic  efforts  in  the  direction  of  permanent  improve- 
ment were  made  until  recent  years,  beginning  with  1856, 
when  Dorrance  Street  was  paved,  curbed  and  graded  by 
order  of  council.  This  treatment  has  since  been  extended 
to  other  highways  in  the  borough,  and  few  towns  in  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


77 


State  are  more  likely  to  impress  the  observer  more  favor- 
ably in  this  respect. 

Bristol  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — About  the  year 
1771,  Captain  Webb,  a  local  preacher,  while  on  his  way 
from  New  York  to  Philadelphia,  stopped  in  Bristol  and 
preached  to  the  people,  assembled  under  a  tree  that  stood 
on  the  lot  upon  which  the  old  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  now  Pythian  Hall,  on  Wood  Street,  was  subse- 
quently erected.  This  is  the  earliest  record  of  Method- 
ism in  Bristol  and  was  apparently  its  introduction.  On  a 
later  occasion,  while  on  a  visit  to  Burlington,  N.  J.,  Cap- 


\W^^KKKKKtKKKr                     mm       '.^ 

^:' 

^  ■■*■■■.  -   /^  miL^ 

OLD  METHODIST   CHURCH^   WOOD   STREET,   NOW   PYTHIAN    HALL. 

tain  Webb  crossed  the  river  and  preached  to  the  people 
in  his  regimentals,  being  an  officer  in  the  British  army, 
which  action  caused  much  criticism  on  the  part  of  some 
of  his  hearers  as  to  the  consistency  of  a  man  preaching  a 
''gospel  of  peace  and  good  will  to  men"  in  the  habiliments 
of  war.  Webb  was  licensed  to  preach  before  he  came  to 
America,  by  Mr.  Wesley.  Captain  Webb  was  stationed 
at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  afterward  at  Trenton,  N.  J.  He  was 
at  the  battle  of  Louisburg,  and  while  with  General  Wolf 


78  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

at  the  siege  of  Quebec,  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  was 
wounded  and  lost  one  eye.  It  is  said  of  him  "he  was 
faithful  to  his  God  and  loyal  to  his  king."  He  was  ar- 
rested at  Burlington,  N.  J.,  in  May,  1777,  and  taken  to 
Philadelphia  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  being  a  spy.  He 
was,  however,  ordered  to  Bethlehem  and  shortly  after 
was  discharged.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  England, 
resigned  his  commission  in  the  army  and  was  a  faithful 
preacher  until  God  called  him  to  his  reward  in  the  year 
1796.  John  Adams,  President  of  the  United  States,  heard 
him  preach  in  St.  George's  Church  in  Philadelphia.  After- 
ward, in  conversation  with  some  of  his  friends,  he  said : 
"He  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent  men  I  have  ever 
heard." 

Bristol  Circuit  was  formed  September  10,  1788,  and 
embraced  that  part  of  Northern  Pennsylvania,  lying  be- 
tween the  Delaware  and  Susquehanna  Rivers  and 
between  the  Philadelphia  county  line  and  the  Pocono 
Mountains.  William  Dougherty  was  appointed  by  the 
bishop,  preacher  in  charge  of  the  circuit.  He  visited 
Bristol  and  found  a  number  who  had  been  awakened  by 
the  preaching  of  Captain  Webb,  and  others  who  had 
followed  him.  He  organized  a  class  of  eleven  persons 
among  whom  were  Mary  Connor,  Francis  Stackhouse, 
his  wife  Priscilla;  Richard  Gosline,  his  wife  Mary;  Job 
Stackhouse,  his  wife  Rebecca;  William  Kinsey,  his  wife 
Catharine ;  Joseph  Stackhouse  and  his  wife.  Public 
meetings  were  held  in  the  upper  room  of  the  old  court- 
house on  Cedar  Street,  and  prayer  and  class  meetings  in 
private  houses,  until  the  year  1802,  when  the  Society, 
having  increased  in  numbers,  it  was  found  necessary  to 
have  a  larger  and  more  convenient  place  to  hold  their 
meetings.  It  was  decided  to  build  a  place  of  worship  and 
Mary  Connor  was  authorized  to  solicit  funds.  Her  efforts 
on  this  occasion  justly  entitled  her  to  the  honor 
of  founding  the  church.  The  ground  upon  which  Webb 
had  preached  his  first  sermon  was  purchased  of  Colonel 
Joseph  Clunn  and  Mary,  his  wife,  for  the  sum  of  £25.  The 
work  progressed  so  far  that  the  materials  were  collected 
and  money  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  sufficient 
for  their  payment,  when  he  defaulted.    He  had  spent  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH,  79 

money  and  could  not  replace  it.  He  was  dealt  with  and 
expelled.  It  was  a  sad  blow  to  the  little  Society.  Many 
of  them  were  discouraged  and  ready  to  give  up.  But 
Mary  Connor  did  not  believe  in  giving  up.  Her  motto 
was :  ''Trust  in  the  Lord,"  and  she  believed  they  would 
succeed  in  building  a  house  for  the  people  of  God  to  wor- 
ship in.  She  succeeded  in  raising  sufficient  money  to  build 
a  brick  church,  twenty-four  by  forty  feet,  one  story  high. 
The  church  was  finished  in  1803  and  dedicated  by  Rev. 
Harry  Buchin,  amid  the  rejoicing  of  a  happy  people,  clear 
of  debt.  After  the  dedication  of  the  church,  there  was 
preaching  once  in  two  weeks,  at  nights.  The  Society 
continued  faithful,  holding  their  prayer  and  class  meet- 
ings regularly.  In  1825,  under  the  preaching  of  Edward 
Stout  and  Samuel  Grace,  many  joined  the  church.  In 
1827,  a  revival  took  place ;  seventy  persons  were  con- 
verted and  joined  the  church,  among  whom  was  the  late 
William  Kinsey,  a  grandson  of  one  of  the  early  founders 
of  the  church.  In  consequence  of  this  large  addition  to 
the  membership,  it  was  found  necessary  to  enlarge  the 
church  building.  Through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  Mary  Ann 
Johnson,  a  zealous  Christian  lady  in  the  church,  the  sum 
of  $600  was  raised.  Twenty  feet  were  added  and  the  seat- 
ing capacity  increased.  After  the  enlargement  an  ar- 
rangement was  made  with  the  Association  of  Local 
Preachers  of  Philadelphia,  among  whom  were  many 
eminent  men,  to  supply  the  pulpit  on  Sabbath  mornings. 
In  1840  a  division  was  made  in  the  circuit;  Bristol, 
Bustleton  and  Holmesburg  were  united  into  one  charge. 
In  1843  another  change  was  made  in  the  circuit;  Bristol, 
Bensalem  and  Neshaminy  were  made  one  charge. 

During  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Aspril,  in  1844, 
the  old  church  was  torn  down  and  a  new  one,  forty  by 
sixty  feet,  two  stories  high,  was  built  on  the  same  ground, 
at  a  cost  of  $7,000,  and  was  dedicated  by  the  Rev.  John 
Kenneday,  D.  D.,  in  1845.  ^^  ^^49  another  change  was 
made  in  the  circuit;  Bensalem  and  Neshaminy  were 
added  to  Attleborough  Circuit  and  Bristol  became  a 
separate  charge.  Under  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam McCombs,  in  1851,  a  debt  of  $1,300  was  cancelled 
and  the  next  year  a  parsonage  was  erected  adjoining  the 


8o  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

church  property,  at  a  cost  of  $2,700.  During  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  Rev.  George  W.  MacLaughlin,  in  1859,  ^  won- 
derful revival  took  place  and  the  church  membership  was 
greatly  augmented. 

In  1888,  under  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  S.  T.  Kemble, 
the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  church  was  celebrated. 
The  celebration  lasted  for  one  week,  beginning  on  Sun- 
day, November  11,  and  lasting  until  the  Sunday  follow- 
ing. The  Rev.  E.  E.  Burriss  was  appointed  in  1891.  He 
organized  the  Senior  Epworth  League  and  also  the 
Junior  organization.  During  his  third  year  a  great  re- 
vival took  place,  as  a  result  of  which  nearly  200  names 
were  added  to  the  church  roll.  The  following  year  the 
formulating  of  plans  for  the  building  of  a  new  edifice  was 
begun. 

Among  the  many  deeds  of  kindness  shown  by  mem- 
bers of  this  denomination  to  strangers,  was  one  to  a  Mrs. 
Carson,  of  Philadelphia,  who  visited  Bristol  with  her  two 
daughters,  for  the  benefit  of  the  mineral  waters  at  Bath 
Springs.  One  of  them  died.  The  trustees  of  the  church 
offered  her  a  place  of  burial  in  the  churchyard.  Some 
time  after  the  other  daughter  died,  and  the  mother  re- 
quested permission  to  lay  her  remains  by  the  side  of  her 
sister,  which  was  granted.  Some  years  later  the  mother 
died.  On  examination  of  her  will,  it  was  found  that  she 
desired  to  be  buried  by  the  side  of  her  daughters,  and  had 
devised  all  her  estate,  consisting  of  valuable  property 
at  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  Spruce  Streets,  Philadelphia, 
to  the  Methodist  Church  of  Bristol,  upon  the  death  of 
two  relatives,  to  whom  she  had  granted  a  life  right. 

When  the  new  church  enterprise  was  in  its  incipiency, 
an  effort  was  made  to  purchase  the  life  right  of  the  sur- 
viving heirs,  which  was  finally  accomplished  by  the  pay- 
ment of  about  $5,000.  When  the  property  was  finally 
sold  the  church  received  $12,000.  The  lot  at  the  corner 
of  Mulberry  and  Cedar  Streets,  known  as  the  Rousseau 
property,  was  purchased  and  it  was  decided  to  erect  the 
new  church  edifice  at  the  intersection  of  Mulberry  and 
Wilson  Streets.  The  Rev.  Burriss,  having  finished  his 
fourth  year,  accepted  a  call  from  the  Memorial  M.  E. 
Church  of  Philadelphia,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


8i 


Chas.  H.  Rorer.  Plans  and  specifications  were  so  quickly- 
drawn,  following  his  incumbency,  that  in  five  months* 
time  the  work  on  the  new  building  was  ready  to  begin. 
The  old  church  building  was  sold  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  for  $4,500,  and  the  parsonage  to  C.  F.  Lippincott 
for  $2,500.  The  contract  for  erecting  the  edifice  was 
awarded  to  Lewis  Walton,  of  Corwells,  the  price  being 
$26,635.    The  windows,  heater,  gas  fixtures  and  furniture 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


cost  $5,000  more.  The  contract  for  digging  and  walling 
the  cellar  was  also  awarded  separately  at  a  cost  of  $2,700. 
With  a  trifle  over  $10,000  in  cash,  after  paying  for  the 
cost  of  the  ground  ($12,000),  it  required  no  little  faith 
to  begin  an  enterprise  costing  over  $46,000.  On  August 
9,  1895,  just  ten  days  before  the  time  set  for  the  break- 
ing of  the  ground  for  the  new  church,  William  Kinsey, 


82  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

the  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  and  foremost  advo- 
cate of  the  new  church  enterprise,  passed  away.  His 
death  was  a  great  blow  to  the  church  and  his  loss 
irreparable. 

The  ground  for  the  new  church  was  broken  at  1.15  P. 
M.,  August  19,  1895.  The  first  stone  in  the  wall  was 
placed  September  17,  1895.  'T^^^  last  coping  to  entrance 
to  main  auditorium,  each  side,  was  placed  September  21, 
1896.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  Sunday  afternoon, 
November  17,  1895,  by  the  Presiding  Elder  Rev.  S.  W. 
Gehrett  and  the  pastor,  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Rorer.  Services 
were  held  in  the  old  church  with  regularity  until  April 
5,  1896.  The  last  communion  service  was  held  in  the 
morning.  Beginning  with  April  12,  services  were  held 
in  the  lower  room  until  July  12,  1896.  On  the  evening  of 
July  12,  1896,  the  Rev.  Rorer  preached  the  final  sermon 
in  the  old  church  building.  The  dedication  services  be- 
gan on  Sunday,  October  25,  1896,  and  were  continued 
nightly,  concluding  on  the  following  Sunday.  The  church 
services  had  been  held  in  the  chapel  from  July  19,  while 
the  auditorium  was  being  completed.  At  the  end  of  his 
fourth  year,  the  Rev.  Rorer  accepted  a  call  from  the 
Cumberland  Street  M.  E.  Church,  of  Philadelphia.  Dur- 
ing his  administration  the  church  membership  reached 
its  high  water  mark,  over  500  members  being  enrolled. 
The  Rev.  A.  A.  Arthur  succeeded  the  Rev.  Rorer.  He 
found  the  church  burdened  with  a  bonded  indebtedness 
of  $17,000,  and  a  floating  debt  of  $3,800.  The  Rev.  Arthur 
remained  two  years,  but  during  his  administration  he  col- 
lected $5,000,  with  which  the  floating  debt  was  cancelled 
and  a  substantial  payment  made  on  account  of  the 
bonded  debt.  Under  the  administration  of  the  Rev.  Theo- 
dore Stevens,  who  followed  the  Rev.  Arthur,  the  church 
debt  was  reduced  to  $14,000. 

It  was  during  the  Rev.  Stevens'  administration  that 
Miss  Caroline  Kinsey,  the  only  surviving  member  of  the 
Kinsey  family,  passed  away.  When  her  will  was  read, 
it  was  found  that  after  making  a  few  private  bequests, 
she  had  bequeathed  the  bulk  of  her  fortune,  amounting 
to  about  $35,000,  to  the  Bristol  M.  E.  Church.  Under  the 
administration  of  the  Rev.  D.  Mast  Gordon,  the  legacy 


A  HISTORY  OP  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  83 

was  paid  to  the  church.  The  mortgage  indebtedness  was 
promptly  cancelled,  a  fund  of  $10,000  was  set  aside  and 
invested  in  first  class  securities,  and  the  balance  spent  in 
repairs  to  the  church  and  parsonage  buildings,  and  the 
installation  of  a  pipe  organ  in  the  church  auditorium. 
The  Rev.  S.  W.  Gehrett,  the  present  pastor,  is  now  serv- 
ing his  third  year.  During  his  adminstration  the  church 
roll  has  been  revised  and  the  records  now  show  a  mem- 
bership of  400.  The  church  has  active  and  energetic 
Chapters  of  the  Senior  and  Junior  Epworth  Leagues  and 
a  Sunday  School  of  500  scholars.  Bristol  Methodism  has 
produced  many  of  our  distinguished  townsmen,  among 
whom  were :  Jonathan  Adams,  Egbert  Street,  Jonathan 
Milnor,  Jonathan  Street,  Joseph  Foster,  James  Bruden, 
Squire  William  Hawke,  the  Hon.  William  Kinsey,  J. 
Merrick  Brown,  Jacob  S.  Young  and  J.  Wesley  Wright. 

A  list  of  preachers  in  charge  of  Bristol  since  the  circuit 
was  established,  compiled  from  annual  conference  min- 
utes, is  herewith  presented : 

In  1788,  William  Dougherty;  1789,  Robert  Kane;  1790, 
Robert  Hutchinson;  1791,  Gamaliel  Bailey,  Joseph 
Lovell ;  1792,  Simon  Miller,  Isaac  Robinson;  1793,  N.  B. 
Mills,  E.  Pelham,  L.  Rogers;  1794,  William  Hunter,  John 
Bateman;  1795,  William  Hardesty,  Joseph  Rouen;  1796, 
William  Colbert,  Joseph  Whitely;  1797,  Charles  Caver- 
der,  Richard  Lyon;  1798,  James  Moore;  1799,  Joseph 
Ebert;  1800,  Anning  Owen,  James  Osborn;  1801,  W.  P. 
Chandler,  John  Ledler;  1802,  Thomas  Everard,  R.  Mc- 
Coy, T.  Jones;  1803,  Henry  Clark,  John  Bethel;  1804, 
David  Bartine,  David  James;  1805,  Asa  Smith,  Daniel 
Highbee;  1806,  Asa  Smith,  William  Hogan ;  1807,  John 
Walker,  Richard  Lyon;  1808,  Thomas  Dunn,  James 
Polemus;  1809,  D.  Bartine,  J.  Akins,  J.  Stepless;  1810, 
J.  Akins,  W.  S.  Fisher,  W.  P.  Chandler;  181 1,  Thomas 
Boring,  William  S.  Fisher;  1812,  Richard  Smith,  John 
Walker,  John  Fernon ;  1813,  T.  Dimm,  Charles  Reed, 
James  Polemus;  1814,  Charles  Reed,  D.  Bartine;  1815, 
William  Torbet,  William  M.  Foulke;  1816,  Asa  Smith, 
Daniel  Ireland,  P.  Price;  1817,  John  Fox,  Asa  Smith; 
1818,  John  Robertson,  John  Price;  1819,  Samuel  Budd, 
John  Price;  1820-1,  Manning  Force,  Phineas  Price;  1822- 


84  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

23,  Jacob  Gruber,  Daniel  Fiddler;  1824,  William  Wil- 
liams, Thomas  Davis;  1825,  Edward  Stout,  James  Grace; 
1826,  Edward  Stout,  Joseph  Carey;  1827,  Henry  G.  King, 
Robert  Lutton;  1828,  Henry  G.  King,  J.  B.  Ayres;  1829, 
Thomas  Neal,  Nathaniel  Clew;  1830,  Thomas  Neal,  Man- 
love  Hazel;  1831,  Edward  Page,  John  Finley,  James 
Long;  1832,  Edward  Page,  Asbury  Boring;  1833,  D.  Bar- 
tine,  J.  Nicolson;  1834,  D.  Bartine,  C.  S.  Wharton;  1835, 
J.  Woolston;  1836,  D.  W.  Bartine,  Jr.,  R.  McNamee; 
1837,  D.  W.  Bartine,  Jr.,  James  Hand;  1838,  William 
Williams;  1839,  William  Centner;  1840,  John  Ludnam, 
Wm.  McMichael;  1841,  R.  Thomas,  G.  Allen;  1842,  R. 
Thomas,  J.  Walsh;  1843-44,  James  Asprill;  1845-46, 
Thomas  S.  Johnson;  1847,  ^-  D.  Carrow;  1848,  G.  D. 
Carrow,  L.  K.  Berridge;  1849-50,  R.  McNamee,  W.  Mc- 
Michael; 1851-52,  William  McCombs;  1853-54,  M.  H. 
Sisty;  1855-56;  J.  F.  Boone;  1857-58,  E.  J.  Way;  1859-60. 
G.  W.  Maclaughlin;  1861-62,  P.  J.  Coxe;  1863-64,  A. 
Johns;  1865,  William  Barnes;  1866,  J.  H.  Turner;  1867, 
H.  Grove;  1868,  E.  C.  Griffith;  1869-70,  Wm.  Rink;  1871- 
J2,  Wm.  Dalrymple;  1873-1874,  F.  E.  Church;  1875-77,  J. 
S.  Cook;  1878-80,  I.  Cunningham;  1881-83,  H.  E.  Gilroy; 
1884-86,  Wm.  Ridgeway;  1887-90,  Samuel  Kemble;  1891- 
94,  Eli  E.  Burris;  1895-98,  Chas.  H.  Rorer;  1899-1900,  A. 
A.  Arthur;  1901-03,  Theodore  Stevens;  1904-07,  D.  Mast 
Gordon;  1908-10,  the  Rev.  S.  W.  Gehrett. 

Note. — Since  the  writing  of  this  article,  the  Rev.  S.  W.  Gehrett,. 
D.  D.,  has  severed  his  relations  with  the  church  and  retired  from 
the  active  ministry.  His  successor  is  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Rushton,  who 
entered  upon  his  duties  in  March  of  this  year,  191 1. 


A  HISTORY  O:^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  85 


EPOCH    IV. 


THE  PERIOD  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 


From  1775,  the  Beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  to 
1783,  the  Close  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Introduction. — The  story  of  the  American  Revolution 
cannot  be  too  often  told.  The  wisdom  and  patriotism  of 
the  men  who  led  the  revolt  against  the  British  crown, 
and  the  courage  and  endurance  of  those  who  fought  the 
battles  of  the  colonies,  have  never  been  surpassed. 
Bucks  County  displayed  its  loyalty  by  sending  its  quota 
of  men  to  strengthen  the  Patriot  Army  and  the  roster 
contains  the  names  of  many  citizens  of  Bristol,  some  of 
whom  laid  down  their  lives  upon  the  altar  of  patriotism, 
that  America  might  be  free.  On  three  occasions  the 
Continental  Army,  with  Washington  at  its  head,  marched 
through  our  county  to  meet  the  enemy  on  historic  fields, 
and  in  the  trying  period  of  December,  1776,  it  sought 
shelter  on  Bucks  County  soil  behind  the  friendly  waters 
of  the  Delaware.  While  our  county  was  faithful  to  the 
cause  of  Independence,  a  considerable  minority  of  her 
population  remained  loyal  to  the  crown.  When  the  war 
became  inevitable,  Bucks  was  one  of  the  first  counties 
to  act.  The  9th  of  July,  1774,  Joseph  Hart,  John  Kidd, 
Joseph  Kirkbride,  James  Wallace,  Henry  Wynkoop, 
Samuel  Foulke  and  John  Wilkinson  were  appointed  to 
represent  Bucks  at  a  meeting  of  all  the  county  commit- 
tees to  be  held  in  Philadelphia,  where  Mr.  Hart  was  chair- 
man of  the  committee  that  reported  in  favor  of  "a  con- 
gress of  deputies  from  all  the  colonies."    On  the  i6th  of 


86  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

January,  1775,  a  committee  of  safety  was  organized  in 
Bucks  County,  in  which  was  reposed,  for  the  time  being, 
the  legislative  and  executive  authority  of  the  county. 

Society  of  Friends  Against  the  War. — The  Society  of 
Friends  was  against  the  war  from  the  beginning,  because 
strife  and  bloodshed  were  opposite  to  their  religious  tenets, 
but  the  authority  of  the  fathers  could  not  restrain  the 
sons.  A  number  of  their  young  men  gave  open  sympathy 
to  the  cause  of  the  colonies,  and  some  entered  the  mili- 
tary service.  The  meeting  "dealt  with"  all  who  forsook 
the  faith,  and  the  elders  of  Richland  were  visited  with 
ecclesiastical  wrath  for  turning  their  backs  upon  King 
George.  We  must  do  the  society  justice,  however,  to  say 
that  it  was  consistent  in  its  action,  and  that  the  same 
censure  was  launched  against  the  martial  Quaker, 
whether  he  entered  the  ranks  of  the-  king  or  the  colonies. 
Nevertheless  the  society  did  not  forget  the  needs  of 
charity,  and  down  to  April,  1776,  they  had  already  dis- 
tributed £3,900,  principally  in  New  England,  and  Falls 
monthly  meeting  authorized  subscriptions  for  the  suflfer- 
ing  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia. 

Bristolians  Captured  at  Fort  Washington. — When 
congress  authorized  an  army,  among  those  who  entered 
the  military  service  from  this  county  was  Alexander 
Grayden,  of  Bristol,  a  captain  in  Shee's  regiment,  who 
was  made  prisoner  at  Fort  Washington.  Colonel  Robert 
Magaw,  of  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  recruited 
a  number  of  his  men  in  this  county,  some  of  whom  were 
from  Bristol,  and  the  roll  of  his  killed  and  captured  at 
Fort  Washington  gives  the  names  of  several  Bristolians, 
as  follows.  John  Prestley,  lieutenant;  John  Murray,  ser- 
geant; John  Stevens,  private;  Thomas  Bell,  private; 
Joshua  Carrigan,  private,  died  in  prison;  Robert  Frame, 
private,  died  in  prison;  Joseph  Bratton,  private;  Daniel 
Kenedy,  sergeant. 

Prisoners  of  War  Held  at  Bristol. — General  Mont- 
gomery, while  on  his  bold  but  unfortunate  expedition 
against  Quebec,  in  the  winter  of  1775,  captured  Fort  St. 
Jean,  which  was  situated  on  the  Richelieu  River,  which 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  87 

connects  Lake  Champlain  with  the  St.  Lawrence.  The 
fort  was  garrisoned  by  400  men  of  the  Seventh  Fusiliers 
of  the  British  Army,  Major  Prestor,  a  detachment  of 
the  Twenty-sixth,  and  150  Canadian  Militia,  all  French, 
from  Montreal,  only  thirty  miles  distant.  The  garrison 
held  out  for  forty-five  days,  but  finally  were  starved  and 
worried  into  an  unconditional  surrender.  The  command- 
er-in-chief of  the  French  Auxiliaries,  the  Sieur  de  Roque- 
maure,  would  not  surrender  to  the  Americans,  but  com- 
mitted suicide  by  jumping  over  a  precipice.  The  men 
were  held  prisoners  at  several  points  in  New  York  State, 
and  the  officers  distributed  among  various  towns  in  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  some  being  held  at  Bristol,  Lan- 
caster, Easton  and  other  points.  The  prisoners  going  to 
Bristol  were  sent  from  Albany,  N.  Y.,  by  way  of  Easton 
in  sleighs  and  suffered  greatly  from  the  intense  cold. 
Among  the  prisoners  sent  to  Lancaster  was  Lieutenant 
John  Andre,  of  the  Seventh,  who  eight  years  subse- 
quently, was  induced  to  enter  the  American  lines  in  dis- 
guise, and  as  a  consequence  suffered  death  as  a  spy.  The 
twenty  ment  sent  to  Bristol  were  drawn  from  among  the 
first  citizens  of  Montreal.  The  names  of  these  twenty 
"officers  and  gentlemen,"  as  they  were  styled  by  the 
authorities  of  the  day,  and  as  reported  from  the  office  of 
the  Adjutant  General  and  from  the  Archwest  of  Canada 
were  as  follows : 

Lieutenant  Colonel  The  Chevalier  Picote  de  Beletre, 
Major  De  Longwell  and  ten  captains :  Messeurs  Cham- 
bault,  Du  Chenay,  Du  Tbinure,  Havieux,  Gamilon,  Lot- 
biniere,  De  Boucherville,  De  La  Valtrie,  De  Rowvill©^ 
d'  Eschambault;  First  Lieutenants  The  Chevalier  Hertil 
and  Messeurs  La  Madelaine,  Lac  Schmith,  De  la  Marque, 
Saint  Ours,  De  Musseau,  Fleuriment,  De  Ruisseaux. 

The  prisoners  at  Bristol  had  the  liberty  of  the  town  and 
surrounding  country,  and  fully  complied  with  the  re- 
quirements of  their  parole  and  remained  at  Bristol  until 
exchanged  about  one  year  after  their  capture.  The  town 
of  Bristol,  a  village  of  fifty  dwellings,  had  a  resident 
population  of  less  than  300,  consequently  the  billeting 
here  of  a  body  of  Frenchmen  equal  to  one-fifteenth  of  the 


88  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

population  of  the  town,  was  a  marked  event,  and  if  they 
were  representative  of  their  vivacious  nation,  they  must 
have  made  it  interesting  for  the  demure  Quaker  girls  of 
the  village  and  countryside.  (From  writings  by  Captain 
Burnett  L^andreth.) 

Washington  Decides  to  Retreat. — The  campaign  of 
1776  was  disastrous  to  the  American  arms.  Washington 
announced  to  congress,  the  ist  of  December,  his  contem- 
plated retreat  across  the  Delaware,  and  asked  that  the 
Pennsylvania  militia  be  ordered  toward  Trenton,  and  the 
boats  collected  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Four  regi- 
ments of  the  Pennsylvania  militia  had  been  organized 
and  Bristol  furnished  its  quota  of  men.  About  the  same 
time,  Washington  sent  forward  Colonel  Hampton  to 
collect  all  the  boats  and  other  craft  along  the  Delaware, 
and  General  Putnam  was  ordered  to  construct  rafts  of  the 
lumber  at  Trenton  landing,  while  another  party  was 
sent  up  the  river  to  collect  all  the  boards  and  scantling 
on  or  near  the  river  banks.  Congress  and  the  local 
authorities  were  thoroughly  alarmed  at  the  approach  of 
the  enemy.  The  arms  of  non-associators  were  collected 
to  prevent  them  being  used  against  the  Americans,  the 
militia  were  ordered  to  reinforce  Washington  and  the 
owners  of  cattle  were  directed  to  be  ready  to  remove 
them  at  least  five  miles  from  the  river. 

The  Continental  Army  Enters  Bucks  County. — Wash- 
ington, with  the  main  body  of  the  army,  reached  Tren- 
ton the  3rd  of  December,  and  the  heavy  stores  and  bag- 
gage were  immediately  removed  to  this  side.  He  crossed 
over  with  his  rear  guard  on  Sunday  morning,  the  8th, 
and  his  troops  were  stationed  opposite  the  crossings.  The 
enemy  came  marching  down  to  the  river  about  eleven 
o'clock,  the  same  morning,  expecting  to  cross,  but  were 
much  disappointed  when  they  found  the  boats  had  been 
removed  to  the  west  bank.  They  made  demonstrations 
to  cross  above  and  below,  including  a  night  march  to 
Coryell's  ferry,  but  their  attempts  failed.  The  hostile 
armies  now  lay  facing  each  other  across  the  Delaware, 
and  the  cause  of  Independence  was  saved. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  89 

General  Cadwalader's  Army  Encamped  at  Bristol. — 

Washington's  next  care  was  to  guard  the  fords  and 
crossings  of  the  river  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  enemy. 
General  Dickinson  guarded  the  river  from  Bordentown 
to  Yardleyville,  General  Cadwalader,  with  3,000  men  was 
posted  at  Bristol,  and  Colonel  Nixon's  regiment  was  at 
Dunk's  ferry.  Small  redoubts  were  thrown  up  at  various 
points,  and  each  detachment  was  supplied  with  artillery. 
The  general  instructions  to  the  troops  were,  if  driven 
from  their  positions  to  retreat  to  the  strong  ground  near 
Germantown.  The  depot  of  supplies  was  fixed  at  New- 
town, the  county  seat,  because  it  was  central,  removed 
from  the  river,  and  easy  of  access  from  all  points.  The 
days  following  the  retreat  of  the  American  army  from 
New  Jersey  were  stirring  and  eventful  ones  in  the  quiet 
little  town  of  Bristol.  The  old  Buckley  house,  which 
stood  on  Radcliffe  Street,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
the  residences  of  Haltzel  and  Nesbit,  was  used  as  a  bake 
house  for  the  soldiers  of  General  Cadwalader's  army.  The 
little  one-story  frame  church  built  by  the  Episcopalians, 
but  then  unusued  and  in  partial  decay,  was  occupied  as 
a  hostelry  by  the  staff  officers  of  the  American  general. 
The  old  Friends  meeting  house,  at  the  corner  of  Wood 
and  Market  Streets,  was  converted  into  a  hospital  and 
some  of  the  soldiers  who  died  were  buried  in  a  cemetery 
known  as  the  Baptist  plot,  located  on  Otter  Street  on 
the  site  where  Mohican  Hall  now  stands.  The  inhabi- 
tants lived  in  momentary  fear  of  attack  by  the  enemy. 
All  that  could  be  spared  was  given  to  clothe  and  feed  the 
half-starved  and  poorly  clad  soldiers ;  the  martial  spirit 
prevailed  everywhere.  Radcliffe  Street  was  alive  with 
soldiers  at  most  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  coming  down 
to  the  George  the  Second  Hotel,  now  the  Delaware 
House ;  often  the  muffled  roll  of  the  drum  was  heard,  as 
the  body  of  some  poor  unfortunate  patriot  was  borne  to 
its  last  resting  place ;  and  thus  the  days  passed  until  the 
arrival  of  that  memorable  Christmas  night,  when  Wash- 
ington, by  his  intrepid  assault  on  the  Hessians  at  Tren- 
ton, kindled  anew  the  fires  of  patriotism  and  instilled  re- 
newed hopes  into  the  American  hearts. 


90  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Washington  Plans  to  Attack  the  Hessians  at  Trenton. 

At  what  time  Washington  first  conceived  the  plan  of 
recrossing  the  river  to  attack  the  Hessians  is  not  known. 
While  the  troops  of  Gates  and  Sullivan  had  increased  his 
force  sufficient  to  make  the  attempt,  we  are  told  he  could 
yet  find  but  2,400  fit  for  the  service.  All  the  preparations 
were  quietly  made;  the  troops  were  selected  and  put  in 
readiness,  and  a  few  days  before  Christmas,  boats  were 
collected  at  Knowles'  cove,  two  miles  above  Taylors- 
ville.  Bancroft  says  that  Washington  wrote  the  watch- 
word :  ''Victory  or  Death,"  on  the  23rd,  and  he  writes  to 
Colonel  Reed  about  that  time :  "Christmas  day,  at  night, 
one  hour  before  day,  is  the  time  fixed  upon  for  our 
attack  on  Trenton."  The  troops  selected  were  those  of 
New  England,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  General  Cad- 
walader  was  to  co-operate  below  Bristol,  by  crossing  and 
attacking  the  enemy's  post  at  Mount  Holly.  The  men 
were  provided  with  three  days'  cooked  rations  and  forty 
rounds  of  ammunition. 

The  Destiny  of  the  Country  Hung  By  a  Single  Thread. 

— While  Washington  was  making  his  final  preparations 
to  strike,  everything  was  pleasant  and  serene  within  the 
enemy's  lines.  The  Hessians  spent  a  merry  Christmas 
at  Trenton  and  the  officers  were  invited  to  spend  the  eve- 
ning at  the  house  of  Abraham  Hunt,  a  suspected  Tory, 
where  they  made  a  night  of  it.  A  surprise  by  the  de- 
moralized Continentals  had  never  been  thought  of  and  no 
precautions  were  taken  against  it.  General  Grant,  at 
Princetown,  had  heard  of  the  intended  attack  and  advised 
Rahle,  but  the  latter  treated  it  with  indifference.  During 
the  evening  a  Bucks  County  tory  crossed  the  river  with 
a  note  to  the  Hessian  commander,  informing  him  of  the 
attack  on  the  morrow,  but  he  was  too  busy  just  then  to 
attend  to  such  matters,  and  when  it  was  handed  to  him, 
the  note  was  put  into  his  pocket,  where  it  was  found, 
unopened,  after  his  death.  On  what  a  slender  thread  hung 
the  destinies  of  the  country! 

The  Battle  of  Trenton. — The  troops  left  their  camps 
about  3  P.  M.,  the  afternoon  of  the  25th  of  December, 


A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  91 

and  late  in  the  day  reached  the  place  of  rendezvous,  at 
the  mouth  of  Knowles'  Creek,  where  the  crossing  was 
to  be  made,  and  near  which  a  house  still  stands  which 
shows  marks  of  its  occupancy  by  the  soldiers  on  this 
memorable  occasion.  The  morning  was  clear  and  cold, 
but  the  night  set  in  stormy  with  sleet;  it  commenced  to 
snow  about  eleven,  and  the  river  ran  strong  with  ice. 
At  6  P.  M.,  Washington  wrote  Cadwalader  at  Bristol, 
that,  as  the  night  'is  favorable,"  he  was  determined  to 
"cross  the  river  and  make  the  attack  on  Trenton  in  the 
morning."  The  troops  commenced  crossing  about  sun- 
set, and  it  was  three  in  the  morning  before  they  were  all 
over,  with  the  artillery.  The  troops,  after  crossing,  were 
formed  on  the  bank  of  the  river  into  two  divisions  and 
put  in  march,  Washington  accompanied  by  Sterling, 
Greene,  Mercer  and  Stephen,  taking  the  upper,  while  Sul- 
livan led  the  right  column  on  the  river  road.  General 
Cadwalader  and  his  army  at  Bristol,  attempted  to  cross 
the  river  as  instructed  by  Washington,  but  were  pre- 
vented by  the  floating  ice,  although  they  did  not  desist  in 
the  attempt  until  4  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  battle  of 
Trenton  is  familiar  to  all.  The  attack  was  made  by 
Washington,  to  which  there  was  but  a  feeble  resistance, 
and  the  fruits  of  the  morning's  work  was  1,040  prisoners, 
rank  and  file,  twenty-three  officers,  1,000  stands  of  arms 
and  several  cannon.  The  army,  with  the  prisoners,  re- 
crossed  the  river  that  afternoon,  and  the  next  day  the 
captured  Hessians  were  at  Newtown,  the  officers  quar- 
tered at  the  taverns,  and  the  soldiers  confined  in  the 
church  and  jail.  Washington  remained  at  Newtown 
until  the  29th,  when  he  recrossed  the  river  with  the  same 
troops  he  had  with  him  on  the  26th,  and  inaugurated  the 
skillful  campaign  that  nearly  relieved  New  Jersey  of  the 
enemy. 

Camp  of  Instruction  at  Bristol. — The  active  scenes  of 
warfare  were  now  removed  from  our  county.  During 
the  spring  and  summer  several  calls  were  made  upon  the 
Bucks  County  militia.  In  April  a  camp  of  instruction 
was  located  at  Bristol  and  the  town  and  county  furnished 
500  men. 


92  A  HISTORY  01?  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Continental    Army    Again    Enters    Bucks    County. — 

When  the  British  sailed  south  from  New  York,  in  July, 
1777,  the  Continental  army  again  crossed  the  Delaware 
into  Bucks  County.  The  bulk  of  the  army  was  put  in 
march  down  the  York  Road  the  morning  of  the  31st  of 
July.  Washington  setting  out  for  Philadelphia  at  the 
same  time,  it  is  possible  he  passed  through  Bristol,  for 
we  find  him  at  Philadelphia  on  the  3rd  of  August,  whence 
he  joined  the  army  at  Germantown  before  the  6th.  On 
the  supposition  that  the  enemy  had  returned  to  New 
York,  the  army  retraced  its  steps,  and  remained  en- 
camped on  the  Neshaminy  hills  thirteen  days,  until  it  was 
known  the  enemy  was  about  to  land  at  the  head  of  the 
Elk.  The  army  was  again  put  in  motion  the  morning  of 
the  23d,  and  the  next  day  marched  through  the  city  and 
across  the  Schuylkill  to  meet  the  enemy  upon  the  dis- 
astrous field  of  Brandywine. 

Lafayette     Wounded,     Brought     to     Bristol.  —  The 

approach  of  the  British  caused  great  consternation  in 
this  section  of  the  state,  which  was  greatly  increased 
by  Washington's  defeat  at  Brandywine,  and  the  fall  of 
Philadelphia.  Lafayette,  who  was  wounded  at  Brandy- 
wine, was  taken  by  the  way  of  Chester  and  Philadelphia 
to  Bristol,  enroute  to  Bethlehem.  At  Bristol,  he  stayed 
over  night  at  the  house  of  Simon  Betz,  known  as  the 
"Buckley  House,"  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Haltzell 
and  Nesbitt  residences  on  Radcliflfe  Street,  facing  the 
Delaware  River,  between  Penn  and  Franklin  Streets, 
where  he  was  waited  upon  by  a  Mrs.  Charles  Bessonett, 
a  niece  of  Betz.  This  house  was  erected  at  a  very  early 
date,  probably  1735.  In  writing  about  this  dwelling  in 
1853,  Wm.  Bache  says:  "This  old  edifice  long  and 
familiarly  known  as  the  'Willis  House,'  is  still  standing, 
in  the  garden  of  which,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street, 
stand  the  two  beautiful  Gothic  residences  of  Daniel  P. 
Forst  and  Samuel  Swain,  Jr.  The  old  'Buckley  House' 
was  used  as  a  bake  house  for  the  American  soldiery  while 
quartered  here.  Although  in  a  dilapidated  condition,  the 
main  edifice  is  still  tenanted.  (1853.)"  O"  the  following 
morning,  Lafayette  was  conveyed  to  his  destination  up 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  93 

the  Durham  Road,  stopping  at  Attleborough,  and  Stoffel 
Wagner's  tavern,  built  in  1752,  a  mile  from  Hellertown. 

Bristol  Captured  by  the  British. — During  the  British 
occupancy  of  Philadelphia  the  country  between  the 
Schuylkill  and  the  Delaware  was  debatable  ground,  and 
was  traversed  by  armed  parties  of  both  armies.  The 
enemy  made  frequent  incursions  into  Bucks  County.  Wm. 
Bache  gives  the  following  interesting  account  of  such  an 
incursion  into  Bristol :  ''The  building  on  the  east  corner 
of  Otter  and  Mill  Streets  was  a  guard  house  during  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and  Bristol,  having  raised  a  com- 
pany of  militia,  they  had  their  armory  in  a  small  brick 
building  then  attached  to  the  same  house  which  was  torn 
away  and  the  house  remodeled  in  1852.  This  company 
had  a  cannon  planted  at  the  forks  of  the  road,  and  they 
kept  sentries  posted  at  night,  etc.  A  detachment  of 
loyalists  who  had  gone  over  to  the  British  cause,  de- 
termined to  capture  the  town,  and  a  party  of  light  horse- 
men were  detailed  for  the  purpose.  They  arrived  at  the 
ford  now  called  Flushing  Mills,  below  Newportville,  in 
the  night,  and  secreted  themselves  under  cover  of  the 
trees  and  bank  of  the  creek,  until  the  booming  of  the 
morning  gun  announced  that  the  last  sentry  had  retired 
from  his  post;  when,  muffling  their  horses'  feet,  they 
smartly  pursued  their  course  to  the  town,  and  found  its 
inhabitants  all  fast  asleep.  They  quickly  placed  a  guard 
at  the  door  of  each  house  of  any  apparent  importance, 
and  forced  the  occupants  from  their  beds,  many  of  them 
not  even  allowed  time  to  dress,  and  marshalled  them  in  a 
line  in  front  of  the  guard  house,  at  the  corner  of  Otter 
and  Mill  Streets.  Here  they  were  allowed  to  send  for 
clothing  and  finish  dressing.  One  fellow,  an  ensign  in 
the  company,  attempted  to  escape  by  running  away 
across  the  meadow,  which  was  then  banked  in,  but  which 
is  now  a  marsh  at  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek.  He  was  pur- 
sued by  a  horseman,  who,  on  nearing  him,  ordered  him  to 
stop,  which  order  not  being  obeyed,  was  unceremoniously 
enforced  by  a  sabre  cut  upon  the  head.  A  townsman 
living  in  the  house  attached  to  the  Mill  property  on  Mill 
Street,    which    was    demolished    many    years    ago,    was 


94  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL,  BOROUGH. 

aroused  in  the  morning  by  some  one  calling  at  the  door 
that  the  British  had  possession  of  the  town,  which  he 
did  not  believe,  thinking  that  some  of  the  family  were 
trying  to  amuse  themselves  at  his  expense.  In  a  few 
minutes  an  axe  came  flying  through  the  door,  making  the 
splinters  fly  in  every  direction,  when  he,  without  stopping 
to  dress,  and  rushing  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  saw  that 
the  only  chance  for  escape  was  by  dodging  under  the 
horse's  neck,  which  attempting,  the  horseman  made  a 
stroke  at  him  with  his  sword,  which  luckily  took  effect 
in  the  top  of  the  post  attached  to  the  steps,  splitting  it 
some  six  inches  or  more.  The  captain  of  the  militia 
company,  whom  they  most  wanted,  they  were  not  able  to 
find,  he  being  secreted  in  the  garret  of  an  old  frame  house 
at  the  corner  of  Batk  and  Mill  Streets.  After  getting  all 
the  principal  citizens  they  could  find,  they  took  them  as 
prisoners  of  war  to  Philadelphia;  no  one  but  the  ensign 
being  hurt,  nor  were  any  depredations  of  much  account 
committed.  The  prisoners  were  there  detained  some  two 
or  three  months  and  then  released.  Among  those  taken 
from  here  were  Edward  Church,  an  infirm  old  man  and 
pious  Friend ;  Richard  Gosline,  Thomas  Broom,  John 
Green  and  Levi  Douglass." 

French  and  American  Armies  Pass  Through  Bristol. — 

Washington  put  the  Continental  army  in  march  from 
Valley  Forge,  after  a  six  months'  residence  upon  its  bleak 
hills,  the  i8th  of  June,  1778,  to  pursue  the  enemy  in  his 
retreat  toward  New  York.  From  this  time  forward  the 
stirring  and  active  scenes  of  the  war  were  removed  to 
distant  parts  of  the  country.  In  September,  1781,  the 
French  and  American  armies,  in  march  to  meet  Corn- 
wallis  in  Virginia,  passed  through  the  lower  end  of  the 
county,  possibly  having  followed  the  King's  Highway, 
and  marched  through  Bristol.  They  crossed  the  Dela- 
ware at  Trenton  and  the  neighboring'  ferries  on  the 
morning  of  the  ist,  and  the  same  afternoon  passed  the 
Neshaminy  at  the  rope  ferry,  encamping  at  the  Red  Lion 
in  Bensalem  that  evening,  and  the  next  day  marched 
through  Philadelphia.  During  the  war  a  number  of  per- 
sons  in   the  county  joined   the   British   army  and  drew 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  95 

their  swords  against  their  country.  Under  the  confisca- 
tion act  of  March  6th,  1778,  a  number  of  persons  in  the 
county  lost  their  estates  for  remaining  loyal  to  the  British 
crown.  Among  these  are  mentioned  John  Ellwood  and 
Andrew  Allen,  of  Bristol.  While  the  war  was  in  progress 
the  river  shore  at  Bristol  was  skirted  with  a  sentry  of 
gondolas  and  barges,  which  were  chiefly  used  for 
telegraphing. 

Bristol  Lodge,   No.   25,  Ancient  York   Masons. — The 

original  warrant,  dated  March  15,  1780,  was  granted  by 
the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania,  under  the 
masonic  administration  of  the  R.  W.  William  Ball,  as 
Grand  Master;  R.  W.  William  Shute,  as  Deputy  Grand 
Master;  R.  W.  Alexander  Rutherford,  Sen.  G.  Warden; 
R.  W.  Jacob  Howell,  Junior  Grand  Warden;  authorizing 
and  appointing  Brothers  John  Clark,  W.  M.;  Samuel 
Benezet,  S.  W. ;  and  Dr.  William  Mcllvaine,  J.  W. ;  to 
hold  a  Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at  the  town 
of  Bristol,  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  or  anywhere 
within  five  miles  of  the  said  town,  the  number  of  which 
lodge  to  be  25.  In  connection  with  the  Brethren  thus 
officially  designated.  Brothers  Tyrringham  Palmer,  Jacob 
Shallus  and  Patrick  Griffin,  as  the  constitutional  number 
of  members  requisite,  had  united  in  the  petition  to  the 
Grand  Lodge,  and  obtained  the  warrant. 

John  Clark,  the  first  Master  of  the  Lodge,  was  an  offi- 
cer in  the  British  army,  residing  in  this  country  upon 
leave  of  absence,  his  regiment  being  in  the  West  Indies. 
He  was  a  man  of  considerable  local  prominence,  much 
wealth  and  lived  upon  the  Belle  Meade  farm,  near  Bristol. 
Although  a  British  officer,  it  is  abundantly  shown  by 
local  history  that  his  sympathies  were  entirely  with  the 
Colonies,  and  against  the  Crown,  and  that  he  never  re- 
turned to  the  British  army. 

Samuel  Benezet,  the  first  Senior  Warden,  was  a  man 
known  and  greatly  respected  in  the  county,  and  had  filled 
many  important  offices.  Dr.  William  Mcllvaine,  the  first 
Junior  Warden  was  a  man  of  high  social  position,  and  a 
member  of  a  family  who  for  many  years  were  of  consid- 
erable social  importance  in  Bucks  County.  Both  of  these 
gentlemen  resided  in  the  Township  of  Bensalem. 


96  A  HISTORY  01?  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

The  labors  of  the  Lodge  were  commenced  and  con- 
ducted with  energetic  zeal,  securing  the  most  prosperous 
and  satisfactory  results.  Every  profession  or  occupation 
soon  were  enrolled  among  its  members.  The  late  Wil- 
liam Bache,  in  his  history  of  Bristol  Masonry  says :  *'At 
that  eventful  period  in  the  annals  of  our  country,  it  is 
gratifying  to  find  the  ''Mcllvaines,  Bloomfield,  Willett, 
Bessonet,  Rodman,  Wilkinson,  John  Fitch,  and  similar 
illustrious  personages,  assembling  around  its  simple 
altar."  John  Fitch  then  resided  near  the  Neshaminy 
Creek  and  was  engaged  upon  those  experiments  since  so 
wonderfully  developed,  of  propelling  boats  by  the  power 
of  steam.     His  membership  dates  January  4,  1785. 

On  June  4,  1785,  the  propriety  of  continuing  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England  engaged  the 
consideration  of  the  Order  generally.  When  Bristol 
Lodge  unanimously  selected  their  worthy  Brother  John 
Clark  to  represent  them  in  the  Quarterly  Commiuiication 
of  the  Grand  Lodge,  to  be  holden  in  Philadelphia,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1786,  with  especial  instructions  upon  the  suId- 
ject.  Thirteen  of  the  Colonial  Lodges  were  then  and 
there  assembled ;  and,  after  mature  and  serious  delibera- 
tion, unanimously  resolved  "That  it  is  improper  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania  should  remain  any  longer 
under  the  authority  of  any  foreign  Grand  Lodge."  Thus 
was  originated  the  present  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Provincial  Warrant  of  Bristol  Lodge  was  then 
surrendered,  and  the  present  warrant  obtained,  dated  the 
9th  day  of  July,  1789,  under  the  administration  of  the 
R.  W.,  J.  B.  Smith,  as  Grand  Master;  R.  W.,  George  Ord, 
as  Deputy  Grand  Master;  R.  W.,  Joseph  Dean,  as  Senior 
Grand  Warden;  R.W.,  Joseph  Few,  as  Junior  Grand  War- 
den ;  renewing  in  perpetuity  all  the  original  rights  and 
privileges  pertaining  to  the  Lodge,  through  Brothers 
John  Clark,  as  W.  M. ;  Samuel  Benezet,  S.  W.,  and  Wm. 
Mcllvaine,   J.   W. 

From  September,  1790,  to  December  3,  1801,  but  few 
members  were  admitted,  and  nothing  of  much  interest 
took  place  in  the  Lodge.  The  members  becoming,  more 
and  rtiore  negligent  of  their  duties,  it  seemed  to  be  useless 
to  continue  meeting,  and  accordingly  upon  December  3, 


A  HISTORY  OF'  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  97 

1801,  the  Lodge  suspended  its  labors  until  January  6, 
1812,  when  work  was  again  resumed,  with  the  approval 
of  the  Grand  Lodge.  These  eleven  years  of  inactivity 
seem  to  have  been,  however,  of  real  benefit  to  the  craft  in 
Bristol,  for  great  prosperity  attended  the  Lodge  after  its 
resumption  of  work  in  1812,  for  early  in  1815,  only  three 
years  afterward,  we  find  them  resolving  to  purchase  a  lot 
and   erect  a   hall,   which   resolution   was   so   warmly  re- 


M  A  SONIC   TEMPLE,  CEDAR    STREET. 

sponded  to  by  the  subscriptions  and  labors  of  the 
brethren,  that  they  had  completed  a  stone  hall,  two  and 
one-half  stories  high,  and  36  by  20  feet  on  its  ground 
plan,  the  main  entrance  being  approached  by  a  flight  of 
steps,  and  which  was  formally  dedicated  to  Masonry  on 
November  i8,  1815,  less  than  one  year  after  its  erection 
was  determined  upon. 

From  1812  to  1822,  the  Lodge  continued  to  have  great 
prosperity,  and  many  new  members  were  added  to  it, 
the  most  prominent  being  the  late  John  Fox,  President 
Judge  of  this  Judicial  District,  initiated  June  24,  1814, 
and  Don  Louis  De  Onis,  Minister  Plenipotentiary  from 


98  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Spain  to  the  United  States,  initiated  by  dispensation,  June 
22,  1814. 

Don  De  Onis,  it  is  said,  was  a  remarkable  man,  of 
considerable  attainments,  high  in  the  confidence  of  the 
Spanish  Crown,  and  became  warmly  attached  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  Masonry.  He  was  for  several  years  a  resident  of 
Bristol,  then  quite  a  fashionable  watering  place  on 
account  of  the  Bath  Springs. 

After  1822,  however,  the  old  Lodge  began  to  languish,  and 
from  that  year  until  1825,  very  little  interest  seems  to 
have  been  taken  in  the  work  by  the  members.  Then  com- 
menced an  era  of  darkness  for  Masonry  in  Bristol  and 
continued  for  twenty-three  years.  Upon  the  27th  of 
December,  1825,  the  Lodge  met  for  the  last  time,  as  it 
was  then  supposed. 

The  resuscitation  of  Bristol  Lodge  in  1848,  was  brought 
about  by  Brother  Past  Master,  Daniel  M.  Keim.  He 
learned  of  the  antecedent  history  of  the  Lodge  from  its 
former  Tyler,  Charles  Riley,  Sr.  From  the  late  Wm. 
Kinsey  he  procured  the  present  warrant  of  the  Lodge. 
The  original  deed  of  trust  was  found  by  the  late  Andrew 
W.  Gilkeson,  among  the  papers  of  the  late  William  F. 
Swift,  the  Secretary  of  the  Lodge  at  the  time  it  closed  in 
1825.  Finding  that  one  of  the  brethren  named  in  the  deed 
as  a  trustee  was  still  living  (the  venerable  Brother  John 
S.  Benezet),  Brother  Keim  sought  him  out  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  found  him  not  only  willing,  but  anxious  to  assist 
in  the  resuscitation  of  the  Lodge.  Application  was  at 
once  made  to  the  Grand  Lodge  for  permission  to  recon- 
struct Bristol  Lodge,  No.  25,  and  the  first  session  of  the 
resuscitated  lodge  was  held  February  10,  1848.  Per- 
mission to  reconstruct  the  lodge  was  granted  by  the 
Grand  Lodge,  upon  the  application  of  the  following 
brethren,  formerly  members  of  Bristol  Lodge,  No.  25,  to 
wit :  Charles  S.  Riche,  John  S.  Benezet,  James  R.  Scott, 
John  H.  Bispham,  John  Birkey,  to  which  was  added  the 
name  of  Daniel  M.  Keim,  although  he  had  not  been  a 
member  of  Bristol  Lodge. 

Shortly  after  the  reorganization  of  the  lodge,  a  lady  of 
the  town,  named  Mrs.  Martha  Toomb,  presented  it  with 
the  ancient  jewels  and  seal  of  the  lodge,  which  for  many 


A  HISTORY  01?  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  99 

years,  since  her  husband's  death,  she  had  guarded  with 
jealous  care.  Tradition  says,  that  in  the  house  of  her 
husband,  away  back  in  1780,  the  lodge  used  to  meet. 

The  old  minute  book  and  records  were  restored  to  the 
lodge  by  Watson  Conly,  of  Byberry,  who  was  not  then  a 
Mason.  He  found  them  upon  the  removal  of  some  rub- 
bish in  the  garret  of  a  house  in  Falls  Township. 

From  the  time  of  its  resuscitation  until  the  present,  the 
lodge  has  marched  onward  in  unexampled  prosperity. 
The  old  hall  was  soon  found  to  be  too  small  for  the 
assemblages  of  its  members,  and  from  time  to  time,  hav- 
ing carefull;^  considered  the  subject,  they  finally  resolved 
to  erect  the  present  commodious  hall  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  the  craft. 

The  site  of  the  old  hall  was  selected  for  the  erection 
of  the  new,  and  during  the  summer  of  1853,  the  former 
was  taken  down  and  the  present  hall  erected. 

The  Building  Committee  of  the  new  hall  consisted  of 
Brothers  Lucius  Scott,  Pugh  Dungan,  James  W.  Martin, 
assisted,  ex-officio,  by  Brothers  Allen  Downing,  William 
Kinsey,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  John  Dorrance  and  J.  H. 
Schenk,  M.  D.,  the  trustees,  who  were  all  unwearied  in 
their  superintendence  of  the  work,  and  spared  neither 
expense  nor  labor  to  carry  out  the  object  of  their  appoint- 
ment. The  new  hall  was  completed  and  dedicated  to 
Masonry  on  Monday,  May  i,  1854,  by  the  Grand  Master 
and  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  Exercises  in  connection 
therewith,  were  held  in  the  First  Baptist  Church.  An 
address  was  delivered  by  R.  W.  Grand  Chaplain,  J.  Lans- 
ing Burrows,  on  the  subject:  "What  Masonry  Requires 
of  Masons,"  and  proved  a  most  eloquent  production.  The 
town  was  crowded  with  strangers,  to  see  the  procession 
from  the  Lodge  to  the  Church,  and  to  hear  the  address. 
The  Grand  Master  and  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
New  Jersey  were  also  present. 

Then  came  the  dark  period  of  the  Civil  War.  As  Bris- 
tol Lodge  was  loyal  during  the  Revolution,  so  was  it 
loyal  during  the  late  war  of  the  Rebellion.  Many  of  the 
brethren  went  forth  to  do  battle  for  "God  and  Liberty," 
during  those  dark  days  when  the  fate  of  the  nation 
seemed  hanging  by  a  thread.     Many  of  the  brethren  re- 


lOO  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

turned  from  the  war  with  honor ;  some  were  brought  back 
cold  and  stiff  in  death,  and  lie  buried  in  the  quiet  church- 
yards; one  of  the  best  and  bravest,  Brother  H.  Clay 
Beatty,  sleeps  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking-  until  the 
resurrection,  under  the  locust  trees  in  St.  James'  Church- 
yard. One  or  two  sleep  in  nameless  graves,  with  strange 
southern  wild  flowers  blooming  over  them — buried  after 
the  battle,  among  the  unknown  dead. 

On  Monday,  March  29th,  1880,  the  lodge  celebrated  its 
Centennial  anniversary,  holding  the  exercises  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church.  It  was  on  that  occasion,  that  the  late 
Hon.  B.  F.  Gilkeson  delivered  a  historical  address,  from 
which  the  major  part  of  the  data  contained  in  this  history 
has  been  taken.  During  later  years  the  lodge  has  met 
with  unprecedented  success  and  numbers  within  its 
ranks,  the  best  citizens  of  the  community  and  surround- 
ing townships.  A  few  years  ago,  an  addition  was  built 
to  the  rear  of  their  hall,  which  greatly  increases  its 
usefulness. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  lOI 


EPOCH   V 


BRISTOL   AS   A   FASHIONABLE   WATERING 
PLACE. 


From  1783,  the  Close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  to  1827, 
the  Construction  of  the  Canal. 

Introduction. — Following  the  Revolutionary  War  and 
down  to  1821,  Bristol  was  the  principal  watering  place  in 
America,  made  so  by  the  Bath  Springs,  just  outside  the 
borough  Hmits,  and  was  the  summer  resort  of  rich  and 
distinguished  people  from  all  parts  of  this  country  and 
from  abroad.  The  Delaware  House,  then  known  as 
George  the  Second  and  later  as  the  Fountain  House,  was 
crowded  with  guests  during  the  summer  season.  The 
railroad  had  not  yet  made  its  appearance  and  travel  was 
either  on  the  river  or  in  stage  coaches.  The  daily  appear- 
ance of  the  old  stage  wagons,  the  arrival  and  departure 
of  guests,  the  travel  to  and  from  the  Bath  Springs,  the 
daily  landing  of  the  river  boats,  gave  the  old  town  the 
appearance  of  prosperity,  caused  the  inhabitants  to  shake 
off  the  lethargy  which  had  taken  possession  of  them,  and 
gave  promise  of  a  prosperous  future.  Two  race  courses, 
one  on  the  Badger  farm,  below  Bristol,  and  the  other  at 
the  Bath  Springs,  greatly  enlivened  the  life  of  the  com- 
munity. Sporting  men  from  all  over  the  country  were 
attracted.  ''Messenger"  was  kept  in  Bristol  several 
years  before  1793,  and  down  to  1839.  Bela  Badger,  a 
resident  of  Bristol  Township,  was  one  of  the  most  noted 
horsemen  of  the  country.  He  became  interested  in  the 
turf  during  his  residence  in  Baltimore,  where  he  pur- 
chased "Hickory,"  and  with  him  won  a  race  on  the  Ger- 
mantown  course  with  "Postboy,"  owned  by  Ethan  Allen, 
at  $2,000  a  side.     He  was  subsequently  associated  with 


I02  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

William  R.  Johnson,  of  Virginia,  in  the  ownership  of 
some  of  the  best  racing  stock  of  that  day ;  it  was  by  their 
efforts  that  the  superiority  of  southern  horses  was  first 
demonstrated. 

A  Famous  Seed  Producing  Establishment. — In  Bristol 
Township  is  one  of  the  heaviest  seed  producing  establish- 
ments in  the  world,  originally  owned  and  conducted  by 
David  Landreth.  It  is  located  on  the  bank  of  the  Dela- 
ware, above  Bristol,  and  is  called  Bloomsdale.  The 
estate,  which  comprises  several  hundred  acres,  is 
exclusively  devoted  to  the  raising  of  seeds,  which  are 
shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  most  improved 
methods  of  cultivation  have  been  adopted,  and  the  farm 
is  one  of  the  finest  in  Pennsylvania.  A  few  years  ago 
the  firm  was  reorganized  and  is  now  known  as  the  D. 
Landreth  Seed  Company.  The  business  was  established 
in  1784  by  David  Landreth;  in  1790  it  was  conducted 
under  the  name  of  David  &  Cuthbert  Landreth ;  in  1830 
it  was  changed  to  David  Landreth  &  Co.,  and  in  1843 
the  business  was  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  David 
Landreth  and  D.  Landreth  Munns ;  its  original  title, 
David  Landreth,  was  resumed  in  1845  \  i^^  1^0  it  was 
changed  to  David  Landreth  &  Son,  and  in  1875  to  David 
Landreth  &  Sons,  and  in  1903  to  its  present  title.  The  D. 
Landreth  Seed  Company. 

Bristol  Obtains  Charter  From  State  of  Pennsylvania. — 

As  the  corporate  existence  of  Bristol  was  derived  from 
the  crown  of  Great  Britain,  it  was  dissolved  by  the 
Declaration  of  Independence;  whereupon  the  assembly 
passed  an  act  September  16,  1785,  re-establishing  its 
former  power  and  privileges.  The  original  charter  thus 
revived  continued  operative  until  185 1.  Its  defects  were 
many;  as  a  writer  of  1849  thus  forcibly  expresses  it:  "The 
powers  reposed  in  our  borough  officers  should  be  amply 
explicit  and  determined;  those  conferred  by  the  present 
charter  are  vague,  uncertain,  and  undefined.  In  some 
instances  their  want  of  authority  has  been  severely  felt 
and  universally  deprecated.  In  others/ it  is  exceedingly 
questionable,  while  oftentimes  it  is  absolute  and  un- 
bounded."    Yet,  strange  to  say,  under  that  charter,  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  IO3 

corporate  powers  of  the  Borough  of  Bristol  continued  to 
be  administered  for  an  additional  period  of  sixty-five 
years. 

Ship  Building  Industry. — At  a  very  early  day  in  the 
borough's  history,  the  citizens  began  to  build  sailing  ves- 
sels. As  far  back  as  1785,  there  was  a  ship  yard  on  Mill 
Creek  between  Cedar  and  Wood  Streets,  where  a  man 
named  William  Davis,  built  and  repaired  many  vessels. 
He  built  the  Morning  Star,  which  was  commanded  by  a 
Captain  Cooper.  The  late  William  Kinsey,  in  a  news- 
paper article  written  years  ago,  says  that  Captain  Cooper 
told  him  that  the  Morning  Star  was  the  finest  schooner 
that  sailed  out  of  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  and  that  no 
vessel  could  overhaul  her  at  sea. 

After  Mr.  Davis  left  Bristol,  John  Reed  carried  on  the 
business.  He  was  very  successful,  made  money  and  built 
some  fine  houses  for  that  day.  The  John  Bostwick  prop- 
erty on  Radclifife  Street,  above  Lafayette,  was  built  by 
him.  It  is  said,  that  he  never  knew  his  parents  but  was 
found  when  an  infant  in  a  bunch  of  reeds,  and  adopted 
by  a  kind  family  who  brought  him  up  and  gave  him  the 
name  of  John  Reed.  He  was  an  energetic,  hard  working 
man  and  an  enterprising  citizen.  He  removed  to  Mary- 
land, bought  a  farm  and  ended  his  days  there,  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him. 

After  his  removal  from  the  town,  the  business  was  con- 
tinued by  Stackhouse  &  Heiss.  They  built  and  repaired 
many  vessels.  There  was  one  built  at  the  foot  of  Mul- 
berry Street,  called  the  Tacy  &  Grace>  after  the  wives 
of  her  owner  and  captain,  Tacy  Trump  and  Grace  Pat- 
terson. She  sailed  many  years  on  the  Delaware  and  did 
good  service  for  her  owners.  Two  brigs  belonging  to 
John  Hutchinson,  one  of  the  enterprising  citizens  of  Bris- 
tol at  that  early  day,  were  overhauled  and  repaired  by 
Stackhouse  &  Heiss.  The  names  of  the  vessels  were 
Buck  and  Hamlet.  They  were  commanded  by  the  two 
sons  of  the  owner,  both  of  whom  were  able  seamen. 
Captain  Joseph  had  command  of  the  Buck  and  Captain 
John  of  the  Hamlet.  They  went  to  sea,  but  alas  for  the 
Hamlet,   she   never   returned  nor  was   any  tidings   ever 


I04  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

heard  from  her  crew.  It  is  supposed  she  foundered  at 
sea  and  all  were  lost.  The  Buck  made  many  successful 
voyages  under  the  command  of  her  skilful  captain,  but 
at  last,  she  too,  met  with  a  sad  fate,  being  on  her  home- 
ward bound  voyage,  when  she  was  run  into  at  night  by 
another  vessel.  The  captain  had  but  a  few  minutes  to 
secure  his  trunk  and  with  his  crew  to  get  into  the  ship's 
boats,  before  the  brig  went  down  with  a  valuable  cargo, 
and  the  labor  of  years  was  lost.  Although  the  captain's 
loss  was  heavy,  he  was  not  discouraged,  and  his  perse- 
verance and  excellent  reputation  as  a  seaman,  soon 
secured  him  another  vessel.  He  followed  the  sea  suc- 
cessfully for  many  years.  He  had  some  fine  ships  built, 
two  of  which  he  sold  to  the  Mexican  government,  and 
they  were  converted  into  war  vessels  on  account  of  their 
superior  sailing  qualities.  He  was  also  heavily  interested 
in,  if  not  one  of  the  originators  of  the  line  of  Packets 
from  New  York  to  Vera  Cruz. 

After  the  deaths  of  Stackhouse  and  Heiss,  the  business 
was  continued  by  Charles  Thompson,  who  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  age,  an  honored  and  respected  citizen.  Kirk  and 
Lamb  were  his  successors  and  it  was  during  their  time 
that  the  citizens  began  to  increase  their  investments  by 
building  a  larger  class  of  vessels,  called  schooners,  rating 
from  200  to  300  tons  each.  The  shipment  of  coal  from 
Bristol  to  eastern  ports  made  a  demand  for  a  larger  and 
faster  class  of  sailing  vessels  to  supply  the  increased  de- 
mand for  Pennsylvania  Black  Diamond  coal.  Since  1844, 
the  citizens  of  Bristol  have  put  afloat  twenty-one  schoon- 
ers, built  in  and  sailing  from  Bristol,  the  cost  of  which 
was  over  $300,000.  Six  of  said  vessels  were  lost  at  sea, 
involving  a  loss  to  the  owners  of  many  thousands  of 
dollars,  and  on  which  there  was  no  insurance. 

In  addition  to  investments  in  sailing  craft,  in  later 
years  our  citizens  have  invested  heavily  in  steam  boats. 
In  1853,  Captain  J.  Cone,  assisted  by  some  citizens,  built 
the  steamer  Thomas  A.  Morgan,  at  a  cost  of  $45,000.  He 
also  built  the  John  A.  Warner,  at  a  cost  of  over  $60,000, 
which  in  its  early  days,  was  the  finest  passenger  boat  on 
the  Delaware.  She  did  good  service  in  the  employ  of  the 
government  during  the  rebellion,  and  still  continues  to 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I05 

run  as  a  passenger  boat,  between  Bristol  and  Philadel- 
phia. The  old  ferry  boat,  Ellwood  Doron,  costing  $18,000 
was  built  by  Doron,  Knight  &  Porter,  citizens  of  Bristol, 
and  there  have  been  other  investments  made  by  our  citi- 
zens, in  the  steamers  Edwin  Forrest,  Twilight,  several 
tug  boats  and  one  barge.  During  the  years  between  1840 
and  1870,  the  citizens  of  Bristol  invested  in  sailing  ves- 
sels, $300,000;  in  steamboats,  $186,000  and  one  barge, 
$4,500,  making  an  aggregate  of  $490,000. 

Bristol  has  had  many  distinguished  men  who  followed 
the  water  and  went  down  to  the  sea  in  ships.  Captain 
John  Green  commanded  some  of  the  largest  ships  that 
sailed  out  of  the  port  of  Philadelphia.  He  was  the  first 
captain  that  carried  the  American  flag  to  China.  It  is 
said  of  him,  that  he  imported  from  that  country  some  very 
large  chickens,  which  he  kept  on  his  farm  on  the  banks 
of  the  Neshaminy  Creek,  and  from  which  came  the  cele- 
brated Bucks  County  breed  that  has  been  so  much  sought 
after  by  the  lovers  of  good  poultry.  After  his  death  his 
son-in-law,  Captain  Sims  took  the  command  of  his  ship, 
the  America  and  sailed  her  until  she  became  unsea- 
worthy.  He  then  left  the  sea  and  in  1798  bought  China 
Retreat,  on  the  Delaware  River,  of  Andrus  Everandes 
Van  Brum  Houchust,  for  the  sum  of  £10,706,  being 
$53^530  in  American  currency,  more  money  than  it  would 
sell  for  today.  Another  distinguished  captain  was  Jacob 
Searles,  who  sailed  in  the  employ  of  Thomas  Cope,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  commanded  some  of  his  finest  ships  in 
the  Liverpool  line,  for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  during 
which  time  he  never  lost  a  ship  or  a  passenger.  There 
were  many  others  who  distinguished  themselves  as  suc- 
cessful navigators.  Captain  Joseph  Stackhouse,  Captain 
William  Fenton,  Captain  William  Hawk,  followed  the 
water  for  many  years,  made  money  and  lived  to  a  good 
old  age  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labors. 

Note. — This  article  has  been  taken  from  a  newspaper  clipping, 
supposed  to  have  been  v/ritten  by  Wm.  Kinsey.  It  is  probable  that 
after  the  digging  of  the  canal  and  the  absorption  of  the  mill  creek 
oy  the  canal  basin,  that  the  shipbuilding  industry  originally  located 
at  the  foot  of  Wood  Street,  may  have  been  removed  to  a  new  loca- 
tion, at  the  intersection  of  Adams'  Hollow  Creek  and  the  Delaware 
River  and  was  known  in  later  days  as  Jones'  Shipyard. 


I06  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

History  of  Early  Steam  Boating  on  the  River  Delaware 
Above  Philadelphia. — The  first  boat  propelled  by  steam 
was  built  in  Philadelphia  by  John  Fitch,  in  the  year  1787. 
She  was  propelled  by  paddles  arranged  on  each  side  and 
worked  by  cranks  attached  to  horizontal  shafts.  After 
making  two  or  three  trips  side  wheels  were  substituted, 
when  she  made  several  trips  to  Burlington  and  one  to 
Trenton.  Her  speed  was  eight  miles  an  hour,  with  tide. 
On  one  occasion  while  rounding-to  at  Burlington  her 
boiler  exploded,  but  no  one  was  injured.  After  many 
trial  trips  and  alterations  she  was  abandoned,  her 
machinery  taken  out,  and  sold  to  pay  her  debts,  and  she 
rotted  away  in  the  Kensjngton  docks. 

John  Fitch,  the  original  inventor,  was  born  at  Hartford, 
Conn.,  in  the  year  1743.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he 
apprenticed  himself  to  Benjamin  Cheeney  to  learn  the  art 
of  clock-making.  At  the  age  of  twenty-five  he  married 
Lucy  Roberts,  by  whom  he  had  two  children,  a  son  and 
daughter.  The  marriage  did  not  prove  a  happy  one,  and 
he  left  his  wife  and  settled  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  where  he 
pursued  the  business  of  a  silversmith  and  repairing  of 
clocks  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, when  he  estimated  his  property  to  be  worth  £800.  He 
then  commenced  gunsmithing  and  employed  twenty  men 
in  the  business,  which  he  continued  until  the  British 
army  entered  Trenton  and  destroyed  his  tools,  when  he 
fled  into  Bucks  County  to  the  residence  of  John  Mitchell, 
in  Attleborough.  While  there  his  $4,000  in  Continental 
money  depreciated  to  $100. 

He  shortly  after,  in  1780,  emigrated  to  Kentucky  and 
commenced  surveying.  In  1782,  while  on  his  way  to  New 
Orleans  with  a  boat  load  of  flour,  he  was  captured  by  the 
Indians  and  carried  or  driven  1200  miles,  bareheaded,  to 
Detroit,  where  he  was  given  up  to  the  British  as  a 
prisoner.  While  in  captivity  he  made  himself  a  great 
favorite  with  the  Indian  chief  by  making  ornaments  for 
him  and  engraving  on  his  powder  horn.  After  eight 
months  of  captivity  he  escaped  by  way  of  Quebec,  and 
arrived  again  in  Bucks  County,  where  he  was  received 
with  great  joy  by  his  old  friends. 

He  was  at  one  time  a  lieutenant  in  the  army  at  Valley 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  lOy 

Forge,  at  another  time  sutler  to  the  army  in  the  west. 
He  often,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds,  would  travel 
on  foot  through  the  country  with  articles  of  silver  made 
by  himself,  which  met  with  ready  sale.  He  was,  in  a 
word,  essentially  a  universal  Yankee.  A  writer,  in  speak- 
ing of  him,  says  that  his  general  character  in  Bucks 
County  was  that  as  the  flint  bears  fire,  being  enforced 
shows  a  hasty  spark,  and  quick  is  cold  again.  In  point  of 
morals,  he  was  perfectly  upright,  sincere  and  honorable 
in  all  his  dealings.  In  speaking  of  himself,  he  says  he 
had  proved  the  fact  that  the  best  way  to  make  the  world 
believe  him  honest,  was  to  be  the  thing  itself. 

Bucks  County  has  the  honor  of  having  made  within 
her  borders  the  first  model  of  a  boat  that  was  ever  pro- 
pelled by  steam.  It  was  made  by  John  Fitch,  in  War- 
minster Township,  in  a  log  shop  owned  by  Stephen  Mc- 
Dowell. Her  machinery  was  made  of  brass;  the  paddle- 
wheels  of  wood,  made  by  N.  Boileau,  a  student  of  Princeton, 
who  lived  near  by.  The  trial  trip  was  made  on  the  mill 
pond  on  the  Watts  farm,  in  Southampton  Township.  A 
writer,  who  was  present,  says  he,  ''with  several  others  in 
the  neighborhood,  including  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Irvin, 
of  the  Neshaminy  Church,  stationed  themselves  around 
the  dam  to  catch  the  boat  when  she  came  ashore.  The 
fire  was  lighted,  the  boat  put  in  the  water,  and  after  a 
few  minutes  she  started  and  went  puffing  up  the  dam. 
After  spending  a  couple  of  hours  in  further  experiments, 
she  was  declared  a  success."  Fitch  carried  her  home 
under  his  arm  greatly  delighted  with  the  experiment,  as 
the  problem  of  propelling  boats  by  steam  was  solved  on 
that  day,  and  John  Fitch  had  the  honor  of  an  invention 
that  has  revolutionized  the  commerce  and  naval  warfare 
of  the  world.  A  fuller  account  of  Fitch  and  his  doings 
can  be  found  in  Davis'  History.  Shortly  after  he  moved 
to  Philadelphia  and  commenced  the  building  of  the  first 
steamboat  that  ever  ran  on  American  waters. 

The  next  boat  that  made  her  appearance  on  the  Dela- 
ware was  the  Phoenix.  She  was  built  at  New  York  by 
John  C.  Stevens,  in  1807,  went  to  Philadelphia,  being  the 
first  steamer  that  navigated  the  ocean.  She  made  her 
first  trip  to  Bristol  in  1809,  and  was  commanded  by  Cap- 
8 


I08  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

tain  Davis.  Her  engineer  was  Robert  Stevens,  who  after- 
wards became  a  leading  man  in  steamboat  enterprises. 
The  Phoenix  in  her  day  was  looked  upon  as  the  ne  plus 
ultra  of  the  arts,  and  was  admired  by  all  who  visited  her 
as  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  steamboat.  Her  speed  was 
eight  miles  an  hour,  with  the  tide.  After  a  few  years  her 
machinery  gave  out,  and  she  was  laid  up  and  rotted  down 
on  the  Kensington  flats. 

The  Phoenix  was  followed  by  the  Philadelphia  (dubbed 
the  Old  Sal).  She  was  built  in  New  York  by  the  Stevens' 
in  1813,  and  commenced  her  trips  from  Philadelphia  to 
Trenton  in  181 5.  She  was  a  great  improvement  on  her 
predecessor,  and  her  commander.  Captain  Abisha  Jen- 
kins, was  a  great  fat^orite  with  the  traveling  public.  She 
had  a  small  brass  cannon  mounted  on  her  forward  deck, 
which  was  fired  on  her  arrival  at  Burlington.  On  one 
occasion  the  gun  bursted,  killing  one  of  the  deck  hands, 
and  was  never  replaced.  She  left  Bristol  at  8  o'clock  A. 
M.  for  Philadelphia,  leaving  there  at  2  P.  M.  on  her  return 
trip.  She  could  make  the  trip  in  two  hours,  with  the 
tide.     She  in  time  was  worn  out  in  the  service. 

The  opposition  between  the  Philadelphia  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania was  lively,  the  boats  being  nearly  equal  in  speed 
and  both  leaving  the  city  at  the  same  hour.  Great  efforts 
would  be  made  to  make  the  first  landings  at  the  several 
wharves.  On  one  of  her  trips  the  Pennsylvania  tried  to 
prevent  the  Philadelphia  from  landing  at  Bristol  by  at- 
tempting to  run  across  her  bows.  The  captain  ordered 
the  pilot  to  put  the  Pennsylvania  ashore,  and  directed  his 
engineer  to  put  on  all  steam.  The  pilot  made  a  run  at 
her,  striking  her  just  abaft  the  wheel.  She  was  landed  on 
the  Jersey  shore,  where  she  remained  until  the  next  high 
tide,  and  the  Old  Sal  went  up  the  river  with  her  flags 
flying.  This  was  the  first  and  only  steamboat  fight  we 
ever  had  on  the  river. 

A  small  boat  built  in  Philadelphia  in  1818,  called  the 
Bristol,  commanded  by  Captain  Myers,  ran  from  Bristol 
to  Philadelphia  for  three  seasons.  She  was  destroyed  by 
fire  while  moored  at  her  dock. 

A  boat  built  in  New  York,  called  the  Sea  Horse,  was 
run  in  opposition  to  the  Bristol  one  season,  when  she  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


109 


hauled  off  for  want  of  patronage,  and  went  back  to  New 
York. 

In  1817-18,  two  boats  were  built  in  Philadelphia  by  a 
company  called  the  Citizens'  Line,  to  run  in  opposition  to 
the  Union  Line,  the  Etna,  commanded  by  Captain  Davi- 
son, and  the  Pennsylvania  by  Captain  Kellum.  These 
boats  had  high  pressure  engines,  built  after  the  model  of 
Oliver  Evans'  engine  in  the  Philadelphia  waterworks. 
After  running  two  seasons  the  engines  were  altered  to 
low  pressure.  The  Etna  was  taken  to  New  York,  and 
run  from  there  to  New  Brunswick.     During  one  of  her 


OIvD    lOHN   A.   WARNER,   NOW      BURLINGTON. 


trips  she  collapsed  a  flue,  and  several  of  her  passengers 
were  seriously  scalded.  She  became  unpopular  as  a  pas- 
senger boat  and  was  run  as  a  freight  boat.  The  Penn- 
sylvania, after  a  few  years,  became  a  tow-boat  in  the 
employ  of  the  Delaware  Canal  Company. 

The  Franklin,  built  in  New  York  in  1821,  was  run  by 
the  Union  Line  Company.  She  was  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Joseph  Jenkins,  who  was  considered  one  of  the  best 


no  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

watermen  of  his  day.  She  was  taken  back  to  New  York 
after  running  two  seasons. 

The  Albermarle,  a  New  York  boat,  was  run  by  the 
Citizens'  Line  one  season  and  then  discontinued. 

The  Congress,  built  in  New  York,  was  commanded  by 
Captain  DeGraw,  and  had  a  safety  barge  towed  behind, 
on  which  an  extra  fare  was  charged  as  it  was  considered 
a  safer  place  in  case  of  an  explosion.  She  was  run  in 
opposition  to  the  Union  Line  but  was  hauled  off  after  one 
season. 

The  Trenton,  a  very  popular  and  successful  boat,  was 
built  by  the  Messrs.  Stevens  at  Hoboken,  in  1824,  and 
commenced  her  trips  in  1825,  from  Philadelphia  to  Tren- 
ton, was  under  the  command  of  Captain  Hinkle ;  after 
many  years'  service  on  the  Delaware  waters  she  returned 
to  New  York,  where  she  was  broken  up. 

The  Burlington,  another  popular  boat  on  the  Union 
Line,  was  built  in  1827.  She  ran  between  Philadelphia 
and  Bordentown,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain  Kes- 
ter,  a  jolly  fellow,  full  of  jokes  and  fun.  On  one  occasion 
the  captain  had  on  board  a  fine  horse  for  a  friend  in  Bor- 
dentown, with  a  request  that  he  would  see  him  safely 
delivered.  Just  after  the  boat  left  Bristol,  the  horse  be- 
came frightened  and  jumped  overboard.  The  steamer 
was  stopped,  the  small  boat  lowered  and  the  captain  and 
two  men  jumped  in.  The  captain  cut  the  rope  by  which 
he  was  fastened  to  the  rail,  and  ordered  the  men  to  row 
ashore  while  he  held  up  the  horse's  head  to  keep  him  from 
drowning.  When  they  reached  the  shore  the  captain  tried  to 
get  him  on  his  feet,  but  the  horse  made  no  effort  to  move, 
when  on  examination  it  was  found  that  the  rope  by  which  he 
was  tied,  being  too  short  to  allow  him  to  reach  the  water, 
his  neck  was  broken  in  the  fall.  It  was  a  long  time  before 
the  captain  heard  the  last  of  the  joke  of  trying  to  save  the 
life  of  a  horse  with  a  broken  neck.  On  his  arrival  at  Bris- 
tol the  passengers  would  hail  him  with  the  salutation : 
"Good  morning  captain,  how's  your  horse?"  The  Bur- 
lington run  for  many  years  as  a  successful  boat,  until  it 
became  necessary  to  have  a  larger  one,  when  she  was 
used  for  towing  purposes. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  Ill 

The  Rainbow,  a  narrow,  sharp  boat  of  great  speed, 
built  in  New  York,  ran  part  of  one  season  but  was  hauled 
off  and  put  on  the  line  from  Philadelphia  to  Cape  May. 

The  New  Philadelphia,  built  in  New  York,  run  two 
seasons,  was  taken  back  to  New  York,  lengthened  and 
run  to  Albany  as  a  passenger  boat  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Joseph  Jenkins. 

The  Emerald,  a  New  York  boat,  run  in  opposition  to 
the  Union  Line  one  season,  was  taken  back  and  put  on 
the  Albany  line. 

The  Sw^an,  another  New  York  boat,  was  run  by  the 
Union  Line  one  season.  The  four  last  named  boats  ran 
between  the  years  1833  and  1838. 

The  Hornet  was  built  by  Jacob  Ridgeway  up  Cross- 
wack's  Creek.  Mr.  Ridgeway  built  the  boat  and  put  on  a 
line  of  stages  to  carry  passengers  to  New  York  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  Union  Line.  The  opposition  became  so  in- 
tensely bitter  that  the  passenger  fare  was  reduced  to  a 
fippenny  bit  (6^4  cents)  from  Philadelphia  to  Borden- 
town.  The  Union  Line,  to  get  rid  of  the  opposition, 
bought  it  off. 

The  Gazelle  was  run  a  short  time  by  Captain  Benjamin 
McMackin,  who  afterwards  built  the  Edwin  Forrest, 
which  continued  in  service  until  a  few  years  ago. 

The  Marcus  Bozarris,  the  Mountaineer,  the  Appoquini- 
mink,  the  Boliver,  the  Sun  and  the  Balloon,  all  ran 
as  opposition  boats  to  the  Union  Line. 

The  John  Stevens,  the  Nelson  and  Joseph  Belknap,  all 
New  York  boats,  were  run  in  the  employ  of  the  Camden 
and  Amboy  Railroad  Company.  The  Stevens  was  one 
of  the  finest  boats  that  ever  graced  our  waters.  After 
running  a  few  years  she  was  destroyed  by  fire  while  lying 
at  her  dock  at  Bordentown.    She  was  never  rebuilt. 

The  Richard  Stockton,  another  splendid  steamer,  built 
at  Wilmington,  Del.,  for  the  Camden  and  Amboy  line, 
took  the  place  of  the  Stevens.  She  is  now  running  in 
New  York  waters. 

The  Thomas  A.  Morgan,  John  A.  Warner,  Twilight, 
Columbia  and  Edwin  Forrest,  were  all  built  at  Wilming- 
ton.    These  boats,  with  the  Stockton,  were  built  by  the 


J  12  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

Harlan  &  Hollingsworth  Company,  and  are  first-class  in 
construction  and  management. 

There  was  a  small  boat  with  a  stern  wheel  run  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  Forrest  one  season. 

The  Nelly  White,  Popecatlin  and  the  Gem  run  as  inde- 
pendent boats,  but  were  short  lived. 

There  was  built  in  the  early  days  of  steam  boating  at 
Camden,  N.  J.,  a  boat  called  the  Eagle.  She  made  a  few 
trips  to  Bristol,  but  did  not  succeed. 

About  1900,  a  rival  line  placed  two  boats  on  the  river, 
to  run  between  Trenton  and  Philadelphia.  One  was 
named  the  City  of  Trenton  and  the  other  the  Quaker  City. 
During  the  summer  of  1901,  the  boiler  of  the  former  boat 
exploded  one  mile  above  Holmesburg,  killing  a  number 
of  persons  and  injuring  many  others.  The  boat  taking 
fire,  the  pilot  ran  her  on  the  flats  on  the  Pennsylvania 
side,  where  she  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  The  other 
boat  was  subsequently  withdrawn. 

In  1903  the  freight  steamer  Fannie,  of  the  Wilmington 
Steamboat  Company,  began  making  daily  trips  between 
Bristol,  Burlington  and  Philadelphia.  The  experiment 
appears  to  have  been  a  failure  and  she  was  removed. 
Later  the  Springfield  was  placed  on  the  route  by  a  rival 
company,  but  was  recently  bought  by  the  present  com- 
pany and  is  still  running. 

The  John  A.  Warner  is  yet  in  active  service,  but  is 
now  known  as  the  Burlington.  The  Columbia  is  still  the 
most  majestic  boat  on  the  upper  Delaware.  The  latest 
boat  on  the  river,  which  ran  for  a  few  years  as  the  Soo, 
has  now  been  rechristened  the  Bristol,  and  is  still  in 
service. 

An  Interesting  Record. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Town 
Council,  held  on  September  17,  1786,  the  following 
appears  on  the  records :  "On  motion  being  made  that  tlie 
general  expenditures  of  the  past  year  should  be  entered 
in  the  book  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  public,  it  was 
unanimously  agreed  that  the  accounts  should  be  col- 
lected and  entered  which  are  as  follows,  being  the  whole 
expense  of  the  burgess  and  council  for  one  year : 


A  HISTORY  Olf  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  II3 

At  Charles  Bessonett's: 

1785  i     s.  d. 

Sept.     8     3  bowls  punch,  6  s.;  grog,  6d 6     6 

'■'      II     Bitters    and   wine,    6d. ;    i    bottle    of 

wine,  7s.  6  d 8 

"     22,     Punch,  2s.;  grog,  is 3 

"      27     3   bottles    wine,    22s..    6d. ;    grog,    is.; 

toddy,   8d i     4     2 

Nov.     9     I   bottle  wine,  7s.,  6d.;   2  gills,  do., 

IS.,  TO^d 9     4^ 

1786. 

May    19     I  bottle  of  wine 7     9 

July    31     5  bottles  of  porter,  12s.,  6d.;  i  pint 

of  wine,  3s.;  grog,  6d t6     9 

Sept.   14     2  bowls  punch 4 

:f3  19     35^ 

Charles  Bessonett's  house  at  that  period  appears  to 
have  been  the  favorite  resort  for  holding  meetings  of 
council.  It  is  presumed  that  his  accommodations  were 
better  than  could  be  found  elsewhere.  The  mind  can 
readily  picture  councilmen  of  those  days  sitting  by  the 
glowing  hearth  before  the  open  wood  fire,  calmly  dis- 
cussing the  affairs  of  the  borough  and  during  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  evening  partaking  of  liberal  potations  of 
seductive  punch  and  sparkling  wines.  The  public,  it  is 
presumed,  wanted  to  know  how  much  they  drank,  and 
for  their  "satisfaction"  the  above  account  was  spread 
upon  the  minutes. 

First  Post  Office  in  Bucks  County. — The  first  post- 
office  in  the  county  was  established  in  1790  at  Bristol. 
Two  others  were  in  existence  six  years  later,  Morrisville 
and  Plumstead  (ville),  and  a  fourth,  Buckingham,  was 
established  after  another  interval  of  six  years  (1802).  In 
1804,  probably  earlier,  mail  was  carried  twice  a  week  be- 
tween Philadelphia,  Easton  and  Bethlehem,  by  way  of 
Doylestown.  The  following  notice  appears  in  the  "Cor- 
respondent" of  December  4,  1816:  "The  mail  will  leave 
Doylestown  on  Thursday  morning  at  2  o'clock,  and  arrive 
at  Bristol  by  8:00  in  the  evening;  leave   Bristol   at  6 


114 


A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


o'clock  Friday  morning,  and  passing  by  New  Hope, 
arrive  at  Doylestown  the  same  evening  by  8  :oo.  Leave 
Doylestown  Saturday  morning  at  6  o'clock  and  arrive  at 
Lancaster  on  Monday  by  lo  o'clock ;  leave  Lancaster  at 
3  o'clock  same  day  and  arrive  at  Doylestown  on  Wednes- 
day evening  by  6  o'clock.  Leave  Doylestown  on  Satur- 
day by  6  o'clock  in  the  morning,  arrive  at  Quakertown 
by  noon ;  leave  Quakertown  at  2  o'clock  and  return  to 
Doylestown  by  g  o'clock  in  the  evening.''  The  mail  to 
Bristol  passed  through,  Newtown  and  Langhorne.  A 
weekly  mail  from  Quakertown  to  Durham  was  estab- 
lished in  1819. 


BRISTOIv  POST  OFFICE. 


Colonel  Joseph  Clunn  was  the  first  postmaster  at  Bris- 
tol. He  opened  the  office  at  his  residence  on  Mill  Street, 
and  continued  it  there  until  his  death,  in  1816,  when  his 
son-in-law,  John  Priestly,  was  appointed.  The  successive 
incumbents  since  then  have  been  as  follows :  John  Bes- 
sonett,  John  Bessonett,  Jr.,  1841-45,  Gilbert  Tomlin- 
son,   1845-49;  William   Kinsey,     1849-53;    Samuel    Pike, 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  II 5 

1853-61;  Hugh  and  Charles  Dongan,  1861-65;  Nathan 
Tyler,  1865-69;  Israel  Tomlinson,  1869-77;  Jesse  B. 
Mears,  1877-85;  W.  B.  Baker,  1885-89;  James  Drury, 
1889-95;  W.  H.  H.  Fine,  1895-99;  Jacob  Winder,  1899- 
1903;  E,  W.  Minster,  1903. 

The  Badger  Fishery. — In  1790  there  was  established 
in  Bristol  Township  one  of  the  most  valuable  shad  fish- 
-eries  in  the  county,  that  known  as  the  Badger  Fishery. 
For  a  number  of  years  it  rented  for  $1,800  for  the  season. 
As  high  as  1,700  shad  and  20,000  herring,  besides  a  large 
number  of  smaller  fish,  have  been  caught  in  one  day. 
On  one  or  two  occasions  sharks,  of  the  shovel-nosed 
species,  have  been  caught.  The  fishery  is  still  in  opera- 
tion and  many  valuable  hauls  of  shad  and  herring  are  still 
made. 

Story  of  a  Duel. — In  1798,  while  the  Tenth  Regiment 
of  the  United  States  Army  was  encamped  above  the 
town,  a  duel  was  fought  between  a  Captain  Sharp  and  his 
quartermaster,  named  Johnson.  It  appeared  that  both 
were  in  love  with  a  young  lady  named  McElroy,  and 
for  some  cause  Captain  Sharp  challenged  the  quarter- 
master to  a  duel,  which  took  place  on  the  Iredell  farm 
above  the  Hollow  Creek.  The  first  shot  was  premature 
on  the  part  of  Sharp,  who  missed  his  opponent.  Johnson 
fired  his  shot  in  the  air  and  said  if  Captain  Sharp  would 
withdraw  the  challenge,  the  matter  could  be  settled ;  he 
refused,  a  second  shot  was  fired  and  Sharp  fell  mortally 
wounded.  Johnson  immediately  left  for  his  home  in  Vir- 
ginia. Sharp  was  taken  to  his  boarding  house,  but  died 
before  he  reached  the  hotel.  His  brother  officers  buried 
him  and  erected  a  monument,  which  has  fallen  to  pieces, 
to  his  memory,  leaving  an  inscription  to  be  put  upon  the 
slab,  which  was  never  done. 

Miss  McElroy  never  married.  During  a  visit  from 
New  York  to  Bristol  she  related  that  on  the  morning 
the  duel  was  fought  Captain  Sharp  arose  early  and  was 
about  to  leave  before  breakfast.  She  had  a  suspicion  that 
something  serious  was  about  to  take  place  between  the 


Il6  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

captain  and  quartermaster,  and  requested  the  captain  to 
remain  with  her,  as  she  was  fearful  that  he  would  be 
injured  in  a  conflict  with  Johnson.  He  asked  her  to  have 
no  fear  of  anything  serious  happening  to  him.  He  would 
dine  with  her  at  the  usual  hour.  "Boast  not  thyself  of 
tomorrow  for  thou  knowest  not  what  a  day  may  bring 
forth." 

A  Whiskey  Story. — On  the  tract  of  land  owned  by 
Wm.  Mcllvane  and  Alexander  Graden,  the  Tenth  Regi- 
ment of  the  United  States  Army  was  encamped  in  1798. 
One  day  the  "still-house"  of  John  Booz,  who  lived  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  the  heirs  of  Joseph  Stackhouse, 
was  broken  open  and  a  barrel  of  whiskey  stolen.  Mr. 
Booz  thought  the  deed  was  done  by  some  of  the  soldiers 
and  called  upon  Captain  Sharp,  who  commanded  the 
camp,  and  told  him  of  his  suspicions.  The  captain 
promised  to  investigate  the  matter,  but  he  was  shortly 
after  killed  in  a  duel  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Iredell's, 
and  the  result  of  his  whiskey  investigation  was  never 
known  and  it  remained  a  mystery  for  many  years  as  to 
who  stole  the  barrel.  A  short  time  before  the  death  of 
Mr.  Booz,  he  received  a  letter  from  a  man  in  Ohio,  saying 
he  was  one  of  the  gang  of  soldiers  stationed  near  Bristol, 
who  broke  into  the  still-house  and  stole  the  barrel  of 
whiskey.  Hearing  that  they  were  charged  with  commit- 
ting the  deed,  and  that  the  captain  was  going  to  investi- 
gate the  matter,  and  fearing  that  they  would  be  found 
out  and  punished,  they  removed  the  barrel  from  its  hiding 
place  and  buried  it  along  the  creek.  He  stated  he  was 
settled  on  a  tract  of  land  and  had  become  a  farmer,  and 
that  as  soon  as  he  was  able  he  would  pay  Mr.  Booz  for  his 
loss.  That  barrel  has  never  been  found,  although  in  by- 
gone days  many  lovers  of  good  whiskey,  with  a  rod  of 
iron  sharpened  to  a  point,  made  diligent  searches  by  prob- 
ing the  ground  on  both  sides  of  the  creek.  If  the  long- 
sought  for  barrel  is  ever  found,  it  would  be  well  for  the 
finder  to  drink  sparingly  of  its  contents. 

Bloomsdale  Ferry  Lane. — During  Colonial  times  a  ferry 
was  maintained  aross  the  Delaware  River  at  this  point 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  11/ 

and  this  lane  (now  Green  Lane)  was  known  as  Blooms- 
dale  Ferry  Lane.  The  yellow  house  on  the  river  bank 
was  the  ferry  tavern,  and  the  landing  was  at  the  low 
shore  adjoining.  The  ferry  and  this  lane  leading  from 
it,  were  an  important  east  and  west  thoroughfare  over 
one  hundred  years  ago. 

Aaron  Burr,  after  his  unfortunate  duel  with  Alexander 
Hamilton  in  1804,  fled  to  the  west  .  His  journey  took  him 
through  New  Jersey,  and  when  he  reached  the  Delaware 
he  crossed  over  on  the  Bloomsdale  ferry  and  stayed  over 
night  at  the  Yellow  Tavern.  The  Yellow  Tavern  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  built  about  1750.  (Contributed  by 
Leopold  Landreth.) 

Bela  Badger. — The  Bristol  island  meadows,  on  the 
Delaware,  below  Bristol,  forming  a  tract  of  rich  meadow 
land,  were  acquired  by  Samuel  Carpenter  in  1688.  They 
were  then  called  Burden's  Island,  said  to  contain  815^ 
acres,  and  were  described  as  lying  between  Mill  Creek 
and  Hog  Creek.  In  1716  Hannah  Carpenter  and  sons 
conveyed  the  island  to  a  purchaser.  In  1774  an  island 
near  this,  containing  about  forty  acres,  called  Lesser 
Island,  was  conveyed  by  John  Clark  to  John  Kidd.  In 
1807  Bela  Badger  bought  the  Fairview  and  Belle 
Meadow  farms,  lying  south  of  Bristol,  and  afterwards 
Bristol  Island,  then  called  Yonkin's,  and  subsequently 
Badger's  Island.  The  tide  ebbed  and  flowed  between  the 
island  and  mainland.  Bela  Badger  came  from  Connecti- 
cut and  for  thirty  years  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Bris- 
tol. He  owned  800  acres  in  all,  fronting  on  the  Delaware. 
He  spent  several  thousand  dollars  in  banking  out  the 
river  from  part  of  his  land,  and  recovered  350  acres  of 
very  fine  meadow  land,  and  also  spent  a  large  sum  to  im- 
prove his  fishery,  known  as  the  Badger  Fishery,  which 
he  made  one  of  the  best  on  the  river.  Mr.  Badger  was  a 
breeder  of  blooded  horses,  and  dealt  largely  in  fast  stock. 
He  made  the  first  match  against  Eclipse  with  Sir  Walter, 
and  was  beaten.  He  was  connected  with  Colonel  William 
R.  Johnson,  of  Virginia,  in  the  famous  match  of  Henry 
against  Eclipse,  for  $20,000  a  side,  run  on  Long  Island  in 
May,  1823,  and  others  of  equal  note.    He  was  the  owner 


Il8  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

of  Hickory,  the  sire  of  some  of  the  finest  colts  since  Mes- 
senger's day.  He  imported  the  celebrated  horse  Valen- 
tine, and  was  interested  in  the  ownership  of  some  of  the 
best  blooded  horses  of  that  day.  Mr.  Badger  stood  high 
in  the  sporting  world,  and  was  considered  by  all  a  man 
of  integrity.     He  died  in  1839,  without  family. 

The  Celebrated  Bath  Springs  House. — This  ancient 
structure,  which  was  erected  in  1810,  was  once  the  resort 
for  the  elite  of  the  country.  Even  visitors  from  Europe 
poured  their  gold  into  the  proprietor's  coffers  while  they 
lingered  at  this  pleasant  old-time  resort  and  bathed  in  the 
wonderful  water,  which  flowed  from  the  famous  spring 
nearby.  To  this  spring  the  house  owed  its  existence  and 
the  popularity  which  drew  to  its  shelter  such  men  as 
Gneral  Mifllin,  of  Revolutionary  fame ;  General  Cadwala- 
der,  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  of  Philadelphia;  James  Sime 
Ento  and  Don  De  Onis,  Spanish  Ministers,  and  such  cele- 
brated people  as  Joseph  Bonaparte,  the  Biddies,  Baron 
Ludwig,  the  Prussian  Consul,  and  a  host  of  others  well 
known  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Quaker  City  over  a 
century  ago. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain  in  1816,  a 
brilliant  company  gathered  at  the  old  mansion  and  cele- 
brated the  close  of  the  struggle  by  a  long-remembered 
ball,  in  which  stately  belles  danced  the  minuet  with  dis- 
tinguished army  and  navy  officers,  who  had  won  their 
spurs  in  the  conflict  just  ended.  Festoons  and  flags  cov- 
ered the  house,  while  Chinese  lanterns  decorated  every 
tree.  A  dinner  was  given  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  at 
which  statesmen,  congressmen  and  foreign  representa- 
tives sat  down  side  by  side.  Among  them  was  the  Span- 
ish Minister,  Don  De  Onis,  who  lived  near  by.  His 
daughter  was  shortly  after  married  by  proxy  to  a  young 
officer  in  Spain.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  Father 
Hogan,  of  Philadelphia,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
marriage  of  the  kind  in  this  country. 

Outside  of  the  great,  lumbering  coaches,  which  every 
family  of  means  possessed  in  those  days,  the  only  means 
of  conveyance  was  by  stage.  The  turnpike  between 
Philadelphia   and   Trenton   had   been   constructed  but  a 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  IIQ 

short  time  and  three  rival  lines  of  stages  jolted  the 
guests  over  the  road  to  their  destination.  Joseph  Bona- 
parte, who  lived  in  state  at  Bordentown,  was  a  frequent 
visitor  in  his  barge  of  state,  presented  him  by  Stephen 
Girard,  and  was  often  accompanied  by  Prince  Murat.  The 
exiled  prince  was  so  charmed  with  the  neighborhood  and 
the  people  whom  he  met  that  he  would  have  taken  up  his 
residence  in  Bristol  had  not  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania  at 
that  time  precluded  a  foreigner  from  holding  land. 

The  springs  were  known  to  exist  as  early  as  1700. 
Their  value  for  medicinal  purposes  was  not  appreciated, 
however,  for  many  years ;  the  early  settlers  speaking  of 
the  water,  which  is  chalybeate  in  character,  as  "that  nasty 
water."  It  was  nearly  1720  before  the  colonists  began  to 
use  the  water  for  drinking  and  bathing.  Dr.  Rush,  in 
1773,  read  a  paper  before  the  Philadelphia  Philosophical 
Society  in  which  he  highly  recommended  the  water  of  the 
Bath  Springs  at  Bristol  as  a  cure  for  many  diseases.  After 
this  the  price  of  board  took  a  sudden  rise  in  Bristol  and 
the  town  rose  rapidly  in  importance  as  a  fashionable 
watering;  place.  A  Philadelphianewspaper  of  1801,  said: 
''The  Bristol  baths  and  Chalybeate  Springs  are  completed 
in  a  most  commodious  manner." 

The  springs  were  bought  by  Dr.  Joseph  Minnick  in 
1807.  He  improved  the  place  by  building  the  old  hotel, 
which  has  been  torn  down,  and  laying  out  a  race  course 
on  the  adjoining  grounds.  For  ten  years  following  the 
Bath  Springs  were  at  the  zenith  of  their  popularity,  but 
a  law  was  passed  by  the  legislature  which  compelled  the 
race  track  to  close.  This,  coupled  with  the  discovery  of 
Saratoga  Springs,  in  1822,  reduced  the  famous  old  resort 
to  a  shadow  of  its  former  self  until  it  was  finally  sold  to 
be  used  as  a  private  residence.  Doctor  Gill,  a  French 
surgeon  of  Napoleon's  army,  became  the  owner  and  lived 
in  its  shady  retreat  for  many  years. 

Later  the  grounds  were  used  by  the  militia,  on  ''Train- 
ing Day,"  and  as  an  excursion  resort.  They  were  then 
much  frequented  by  the  old  volunteer  firemen  of  Phila- 
delphia. These  last  were  not  always  guarded  in  their  con- 
duct when  away  from  home  and  they  made  the  Springs  a 
scene  of  riotous  diss.ipation.     So  ungovernable  their  con- 


I20  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

duct  finally  became  that  the  boats  were  forbidden  to  land 
excursions  at  Bristol. 

In  1870  a  new  road  was  cut  through  the  old  property 
as  the  march  of  improvement  went  on,  and  the  bath- 
houses were  removed.  The  ruins  of  the  old  hotel  re- 
mained for  several  years  overlooking  a  mill  pond  200 
years  old.  Water  continued  to  bubble  from  the  famous 
springs,  and  still  retained  their  former  properties.  Today 
the  site  is  the  property  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company,  which  is  building  its  new  line  of  road  through 
the  town,  and  touching  the  end  of  this  once  famous  resort. 
Thus  a  few  months  will  see  the  "Saratoga"  of  our  grand- 
father swept  into  utter  oblivion. 

The  first  mention  of  the  Bath  Springs  in  the  records  of 
the  borough  was  made  in  1769,  although  in  Bache's  His- 
tory of  Bristol  Borough,  it  is  stated  the  Springs  first  ob- 
tained celebrity  in  1722.  The  borough  record  of  the 
meeting  of  August  7,  1769,  shows  that  it  was  then  a  popu- 
lar spot.  The  record  says :  "The  Bristol  Bath  and  Wells 
have  at  a  very  considerable  expense  been  put  in  order 
for  the  reception  of  the  sick  and  diseased,  and  numbers  of 
persons  by  using  the  same  have  received  benefit  there- 
from, but  it  being  represented  to  the  burgesses  and  coun- 
cil that  the  good  purposes  intended  thereby,  from  the 
number  of  idle  and  disorderly  persons  who  constantly 
resort  there,  especially  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  com- 
monly called  Sunday,  may  in  a  great  measure  defeat  the 
good  purposes  intended  thereby,  we  therefore,  in  order 
to  put  a  stop  to  the  same,  do  order  and  ordain,  that  every 
person  (not  a  housekeeper,  or  such  who  are  sent  by  their 
parents,  masters  or  mistresses  for  some  of  the  water), 
that  shall  be  found  loitering  about  or  within  the  limits 
of  the  said  Bath,  shall  by  either  of  the  constables  or 
Bath  keeper,  for  the  time  being,  be  immediately  taken 
into  custody,  unless  they  disperse  at  the  request  of  either 
of  the  constables  or  Bath  keeper." 

The  First  Sunday  School.— The  first  Sunday  School 
opened  in  Bristol  was  by  two  maiden  ladies,  members  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  and  daughters  of  Phineas  Buck- 
ley, about  the  year  1811.     The  school  was  held  in  their 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  121 

father's  house,  which  stood  on  the  river  bank  near  Penn 
Street,  and  was  called  a  First  Day  School.  Children  were 
taught  in  the  New  Testament  scriptures  only.  The  wife 
of  the  late  William  Kinsey  attended  this  school  in  1813. 
In  the  year  i8i6,a  Union  Sunday  School  was  organized 
by  the  Rev.  Richard  D,  Hall,  rector  of  St.  James'  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church,  John  Adams,  a  local  preacher  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  John  McElway,  Joseph 
King,  Henry  Tomlinson  and  other  members  of  St.  James' 
P.  E.  Church  and  the  M.  E.  Church.  It  was  held  in  the 
upper  room  of  the  old  courthouse,  on  Sunday  afternoons, 
and  was  continued  until  1822,  when  the  Rev.  Hall  re- 
signed his  pastorate  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Wm. 
Jaquette,  who  opened  a  school  in  the  rectory  of  St.  James' 
Church,  which  was  held  on  Sunday  mornings.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  M.  E.  Church  organized  their  school  in  1822, 
in  their  church  on  Wood  Street,  the  session  being  held  on 
Sunday  afternoon.  John  Adams  and  Henry  Tomlinson 
were  the  first  superintendents. 

Bristol's  Old  Time  People. — Among  the  wealthy  and 
enterprising  men  who  resided  in  Bristol  in  the  early  part 
of  the  last  century  was  Joseph  Head.  He  lived  in  the 
house  previously  occupied  by  the  Spanish  Minister,  now 
owned  by  Ernest  Lawrence.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  per- 
sonal appearance,  of  gentlemanly  manners,  and  an  ac- 
ceptable companion  in  the  higher  orders  of  society.  It 
was  through  his  influence  and  liberality  that  some  of  the 
finest  residences  on  the  river  bank  were  erected.  He  built 
the  mansion,  later  removed  by  Messrs.  Pursell  and  Feni- 
more,  to  make  room  for  the  erection  of  their  two  beauti- 
ful mansions,  one  of  which  is  still  occupied  by  Dr.  Pur- 
sell, and  the  other  by  Stanford  K.  Runyon.  The  house; 
was  built  in  181 5  and  was  occupied  for  several  years  by 
Major  Kneas,  of  the  United  States  Army.  Mr.  Head  also 
built  the  house  now  occupied  by  the  family  of  the  late 
Henry  Morris,  on  the  river  bank.  Mr.  Head  removed 
from  Bristol  to  Philadelphia  about  the  year  1824.  His  de- 
parture was  regretted  by  the  citizens,  but  to  none  more 
so  than  the  boys  to  whom  he  was  a  friend.    Many  a  dollar 


122  A  HISTORY  0]P  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

he  contributed  to  the  celebration  on  Fourth  of  July,  and 
on  other  public  occasions. 

George  Breck,  one  of  Bristol's  noble  citizens,  pur- 
chased the  Major  Kneas  property  and  occupied  it  until 
his  death  at  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  Breck  was  active  in  all 
good  works  and  was  a  brother  of  Samuel  Breck,  one  of 
Philadelphia's  wealthy  and  enterprising  citizens,  who, 
while  a  member  of  the  senate  of  Philadelphia  in  1832,  pre- 
sented the  first  resolution  for  the  passage  of  the  common 
school  law. 

Thomas  A.  Cooper,  the  celebrated  actor,  purchased  the 
property  now  occupied  by  the  family  of  the  late  Henry 
Morris,  and  resided  in  it  for  many  years.  Mr.  Cooper 
was  an  actor  of  reputation  in  England  as  well  as  America. 
He  married  a  Miss  Farley  of  New  York,  whose  death  was 
the  cause  of  much  sorrow  by  those  with  whom  she  was 
intimate.  Mr.  Cooper  had  several  children ;  his  son 
graduated  at  West  Point,  entered  the  army  and  was  sta- 
tioned in  Georgia.  He  resigned  his  position  to  accept 
the  office  of  chief  engineer  of  a  railroad.  One  of  Mr. 
Cooper's  daughters  married  Robert  Tyler,  son  of  Presi- 
dent Tyler.  The  female  department  of  the  White  House 
was  entrusted  to  her  care  and  management.  Her  en- 
tertainments excelled  in  tasteful  and  ornamental  display, 
such  was  the  testimony  of  those  who  visited  the  Presi- 
dent's mansion.  A  writer  on  the  Reminiscences  of  Wash- 
ington, speaking  of  Mrs.  Tyler,  says :  ''that  since  the  days 
of  Mrs.  Madison,  no  one  of  the  eminent  ladies  who  pre- 
sided over  the  affairs  of  the  White  House,  were  more 
dignified  and  lady-like  than  was  Mrs.  Tyler."  Mr.  Cooper 
was  a  man  of  fine  appearance  but  a  little  austere  in  his 
manners.  As  an  actor,  none  had  a  higher  reputation.  He 
was  kind  hearted  and  liberal  in  his  intercourse  with  his 
neighbors,  loved  a  joke,  none  of  which  he  enjoyed  more 
heartily  when  relating  it,  than  the  one  that  was  passed 
upon  him  while  walking  up  Broadway,  New  York.  On 
one  occasion  at  one  of  the  cross  streets,  stood  two  black 
boys,  chimney  sweeps.  As  he  passed  them  one  remarked 
to  the  other.  ''Sam,  thar  goes  Cooper,  the  play  actor.'*' 
His  companion  replied :  "Pshaw,  nigger !  what  you  want 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  I23 

to  talk  like  dat?  You  don't  know  what  you  may  come  to 
'fore  wou  die." 

Joseph  and  Abraham  Warner  owned  and  operated  the 
Bristol  flouring  mills,  and  did  an  extensive  business  in 
grain  and  lumber.  They  had  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  all  with  whom  they  associated  in  public  or  private  life. 
They  filled  the  highest  offices  in  the  borough  and  were 
prominent  actors  in  all  matters  that  related  to  the  welfare 
and  prosperity  of  the  people.  They  gave  liberally  to  the 
poor  and  for  the  relief  of  all  who  were  oppressed,  bond 
or  free.  Both  were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends 
and  strong  abolitionists.  At  one  time,  in  1839,  when  the 
school  board  had  granted  permission  for  an  abolitionist, 
name  Burleigh,  to  speak  in  the  school  building  on  a  Sun- 
day afternoon,  and  his  entrance  was  blocked  by  an  angry 
mob,  Joseph  Warner,  who  accompanied  the  speaker  was 
thrown  to  the  ground  and  received  severe  bruises.  He 
afterward  addressed  the  people  and,  finding  it  impossible 
to  reason  with  them,  announced  that  the  meeting  would  be 
held  in  the  Friends'  Meeting  House,  and  invited  all  to  go 
and  hear  the  speaker.  Joseph  Warner  was  elected  chief 
burgess  in  1825  and  again  elected  in  the  years  1826,  1827, 
1829,  1830  and  1831. 

A  Queer  Custom. — Evidently  in  the  early  history  of 
Bristol,  the  question  of  finding  fuel  was  stipulated  in  the 
contract  or  lease  of  rented  property,  between  the  landlord 
and  tenant.  In  proof  of  this,  Mr,  C.  Wesley  Milnor  has 
in  his  possession  a  paper  reading  as  follows : 

"Bristol,  Pa.,  January  10,  1799. 
"To  Ann  Brelsford: 

"This  is  to  inform  thee,  that  if  thee  stays  in  my  house  another 
year,  thee  must  pay  me  £16  pounds  per  year,  and  find  thy  own 
firewood,  and  thee  must  come  here  shortly  and  let  me  know 
whether  thee  concludes  to  stay  or  no." 

There  is  no  signature  attached  to  make  it  complete,  but 
we  infer  that  it  was  written  in  good  faith  in  accordance 
with  the  customs  of  that  period. 

A  House  With  a  History. — The  old  house  situated  on 
Radcliffe  Street  near  Jefferson  Avenue,  now  owned  by 
the  St.  Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  used  as  a 
9 


124 


A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 


home  for  the  sisters  who  teach  in  the  parish  Parochial 
School,  is  one  of  the  most  historical  houses  in  Bristol. 
A  short  history  of  the  premises  and  the  man  who  built  the 
house  and  the  purposes  for  which  it  has  been  used  makes 
an  interesting  story. 

The  ground  is  a  part  of  a  tract  of  land  of  i,ooo  acres, 
conveyed  by  deed  of  Wm.  Whittecar  and  wife  to  Alexan- 
der Graydon  and  William  Mclllvain  in  1752.  Wm.  Mc- 
Illvain  was  a  brother  of  Bishop  Mclllvain,  of  the  P.  E. 
Church.  Both  Graydon  and  Mclllvain  were  residents  of 
Bristol  and  members  of  St.  James'  P.  E.  Church.  The 
original  tract  was  subsequently  sold  to  different  parties. 
A  part,  containing  fifty-one  acres,  was  bought  by  John 


ST.    MARKS     R.   C.   CONVENT. 

Reed,  who  built  the  Mansion  House  in  1816,  and  occu- 
pied it  until  he  removed  from  Bristol  to  Maryland,  about 
the  year  1821.  His  life  was  an  eventful  one;  he  never 
knew  his  parents,  his  mother,  in  his  infancy,  placed  him 
in  a  bunch  of  reeds  on  the  banks  of  Mill  Creek,  in  Bris- 
tol, and  abandoned  him.  It  was  near  the  residence  of 
William  Davis,  a  ship  carpenter,  whose  wife,  just  before 
retiring  to  bed,  said  to  her  husband :  "I  hear  the  cries  of  a 
baby,"  and  wanted  him  to  go  out  and  see  what  was  the 
matter.     He  thought  she  must  be  mistaken,  as  he  heard 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  I25 

nothing  unusual.  She  insisted.  A  lantern  was  lit,  when 
on  opening  the  door  the  cries  were  plainly  heard.  Fol- 
lowing in  the  direction  of  the  sound  they  came  to  a  bunch 
of  reeds  in  which  lay  a  bundle.  It  was  carried  into  the 
house  and  proved  to  be  a  male  infant  about  six  weeks  old. 
Can  a  mother  forsake  a  suckling  child?  Yes,  she  may, 
but  in  the  providence  of  Him  who  said  "suffer  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me,"  there  is  always  a  kind-hearted 
woman  to  care  for  the  little  waif.  Nothing  was  ever  heard 
of  his  parentage.  He  was  adopted  by  his  foster  parents, 
educated  and  learned  the  trade  of  his  benefactor,  who,  on 
his  coming  of  age,  delivered  up  to  him  his  business  and 
retired.  He  carried  on  the  business  for  many  years,  be- 
came one  of  Bristol's  most  enterprising  citizens,  was  a 
large  owner  of  property ;  he  built  some  of  the  finest  brick 
dwellings  erected  in  his  day.  He  bought  a  farm  in  Mary- 
land and  became  a  farmer,  living  to  a  good  old  age,  loved 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Many  eminent  men  owned  and  occupied  the  place, 
among  whom  was  James  Johnson,  who  went  south,  made 
a  foi-tune  at  carriage  building,  returned  and  occupied  the 
premises  several  years.  He  sold  to  a  Dr.  Martin,  a  retired 
physician,  from  Philadelphia,  who  sold  to  a  Mr.  Richard- 
son, a  merchant,  who  realized  a  handsome  fortune  from 
his  trade  with  the  West  Indies.  He  sold  to  a  Mrs.  War- 
ren, an  English  lady,  who  sold  to  Cyrus  Peirce,  a  retired 
farmer;  he  occupied  it  for  many  years,  during  which  it 
was  the  abiding  place  of  the  oppressed.  Many  a  poor 
slave  from  the  south  on  his  way  to  the  land  of  freedom  in 
the  north,  found  food  and  shelter  in  that  hospitable  home. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Peirce,  and  his  wife,  at  the  good 
old  ages  of  90  years,  the  property  was  divided  among  his 
children.  The  homestead  came  in  possession  of  his 
daughters,  who  opened  a  boarding  and  day  school  for 
girls,  which  was  extensively  patronized,  so  that  it  became 
necessary  for  them  to  enlarge  their  building  for  the 
accommodation  of  their  pupils.  The  property  was  sold 
to  a  syndicate  and  the  school  was  continued  by  Miss  A. 
Merriam  for  some  time,  when  she  was  compelled  to  give 
it  up  on  account  of  her  health. 

The  house  was  next  bought  by  a  noble-hearted  gentle- 


126  A  HISTORY  0^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

man,  who  after  putting  everything  in  complete  order  for 
the  comfort  and  happiness  of  the  inmates  who  should  be 
admitted,  within  its  precincts,  presented  it  to  the  Wom- 
an's Christian  Association,  of  Philadelphia,  as  a  home  for 
girls.  It  was  continued  for  some  time  under  the  name  of 
the  Whelan  Home  for  Girls,  but  was  finally  sold  to  St. 
Marks'  Church  for  the  purpose  heretofore  mentioned. 

"Yet  still  will  memory's  busy  eye  retrace, 
Each  little  vestage  of  the  well-known  place." 

Dick  Shad,  the  Runaway  Slave. — There  lived  in  Bristol 
about  the  year  1818,  a  colored  man  named  Richard  Rus- 
sell, alias  Dick  Shad.  He  was  a  runaway  slave  from 
Virginia,  and  made  his  way  to  Attleborough  and  stopped 
at  the  house  of  a  friend,  who,  learning  that  he  had  run 
away  from  his  master,  gave  him  employment  and  kept 
him  on  the  farm  for  a  year.  There  being  no  travel  from 
the  Southern  states  in  those  days  to  that  part  of  Bucks 
County,  the  underground  railroad  upon  which  so  many 
of  the  South's  valuable  chattels  escaped  from  bondage  to 
the  land  of  freedom,  had  no  existence  in  that  early  day. 
Dick  remained  undiscovered  by  his  master.  Believing 
himself  to  be  safe  in  his  new  home,  he  married  and  started 
in  business.  He  succeeded  in  getting  a  horse  and  wagon 
and  commenced  the  business  of  huckster.  In  the  fishing 
season  his  principal  business  was  buying  and  selling  shad. 
He  was  industrious  and  saving.  Being  fluent  in  speech, 
he  made  many  friends,  who  assisted  him  in  his  business. 
He  moved  to  Bristol,  bought  a  piece  of  ground  on  Market 
Street,  erected  a  home  and  lived  there  many  years.  He 
was  reluctant  to  tell  his  last  name,  preferring  to  be  called 
Dick,  hence  he  became  known  as  Dick  Shad.  He  estab- 
lished the  first  hack  line  for  the  transportation  of  pas- 
sengers, which  proved  a  success,  but  in  the  midst  of  his 
prosperity  there  came  a  sore  trial  which  nearly  deprived 
him  of  his  liberty.  On  one  occasion  a  gentleman  from 
Virginia  came  to  Bristol  to  attend  the  races.  He  em- 
ployed Dick  to  drive  him  to  the  race  course.  On  the  way 
the  ^gentleman  said :  "I  think  I  have  seen  you  before.  Did 
you  not  once  live  in  the  South?"  Dick,  not  suspecting 
his  passenger  knew  anything  of  his  once  being  in  slavery, 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I27 

replied  that  he  had  once  lived  in  Virginia.  The  gentle- 
man on  his  return  home,  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  his 
master,  informed  him  that  whilst  on  a  visit  to  Bristol  he 
had  met  his  old  slave,  who  drove  him  to  the  race  course. 
Colonel  Russell  desirous  to  recover  his  property,  came  to 
Bristol  with  his  overseer  and  stopped  at  the  Delaware 
House.  While  he  was  standing  on  the  portico  Dick 
drove  down  to  the  steamboat  landing.  He  was  recog- 
nized by  his  master,  who  immediately  went  to  Esquire 
Bache's  office  and  took  out  a  warrant  for  his  recovery. 
When  Dick  appeared  before  the  Justice,  the  Colonel  said : 
"Richard  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again.  I  have  missed  you 
very  much  during  the  years  you  have  been  from  home." 
Dick  replied,  "I  don't  know  you.  What  you  want  with 
me?  I  never  saw  you  before.  I  never  was  your  slave." 
It  soon  became  known  that  a  man  from  the  South  had  ar- 
rested Dick  Shad,  claiming  him  as  his  slave  who  had  run 
away  from  his  plantation  in  Virginia.  Among  the  citi- 
zens who  flocked  to  the  Justice's  office  were  Joseph  and 
Abraham  Warner,  Friends,  who  with  others,  were  de- 
termined Dick  should  not  be  taken  back  into  slavery  if 
they  could  prevent  it.  Colonel  Russell,  in  supporting  his 
claim  presented  a  certified  copy  of  his  father's  will  in 
which  it  stated  that  Richard,  with  other  slave  children 
were  willed  to  him.  His  overseer  testified  that  he  had 
lived  with  Colonel  Russell  over  twenty  years;  that  he 
knew  Richard  as  his  slave;  that  he  was  his  master's 
coachman  for  several  years  before  he  ran  away.  Abraham 
Warner  acted  as  counsel  for  Dick.  He  contended  that 
the  testimony  was  not  clear  enough  to  warrant  the  Jus- 
tice in  deciding  to  send  this  man  into  salvery.  Some  of 
the  people  became  very  much  excited  and  counselled  re- 
sistence  against  his  being  sent  back.  During  the  investi- 
gation Dick  became  greatly  enraged.  He  declared  he 
would  die  fighting  for  his  liberty;  pulled  off  his  coat  and 
dared  any  man  to  lay  hands  on  him.  It  began  to  look, 
from  the  sympathy  manifested  for  him  by  those  present, 
that  there  would  be  an  effort  to  prevent  his  being  taken 
back  into  slavery,  should  the  Justice  decide  in  favor  of 
his  master.  Friend  Warner  requested  the  people  not  to 
commit  a  breach  of  the  peace.    Should  the  Justice  decide 


1-28  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

to  deliver  him  up,  they  would  appeal  the  case  to  court. 
Colonel  Russell,  fearing  from  the  excitement  on  the  part 
of  the  people,  that  resistance  would  be  made  to  his  tak- 
ing Dick  back  into  slavery  should  the  decision  be  made 
in  his  favor,  made  a  speech  in  support  of  his  claim  to 
Richard  as  his  slave.  He  said  he  had  produced  a  certi- 
fied copy  of  his  father's  will,  showing  that  he  had  been 
willed  to  him,  and  the  testimony  of  the  overseer  estab- 
lished the  fact  that  he  had  been  in  his  possession  as  a 
slave.  Friend  Warner  said  the  testimony  of  the  over- 
seer had  not  been  supported  by  other  witnesses  and  this 
man  ought  not  to  be  sent  into  slavery  on  the  testimony  of 
one  man.  The  Colonel  then  said  he  would  mention  an- 
other circumstance — that  at  the  time  Richard  ran  away 
he  missed  a  gold  watch  that  belonged  to  his  father.  Dili- 
gent search  had  been  made  for  it,  but  it  was  never  found. 
He  suspected  Richard  had  taken  it  as  he  had  access  to 
the  house.  A  part  of  his  duty  besides  taking  care  of  his 
horses  was  to  wait  on  the  table.  That  from  what  he  had 
seen  when  Richard  had  his  coat  oflf  on  the  present  occa- 
sion, he  was  in  possession  of  a  watch,  the  chain  of  which 
bore  resemblance  of  that  attached  to  his  father's  watch, 
which  was  a  double  case  gold  watch ;  that  it  had  the  ini- 
tials of  his  father's  name  on  the  inside  of  the  case,  "R.  T. 
R."  That  the  chain  was  made  of  plaited  hair,  on  which 
was  a  gold  clasp  and  a  large,  gold-rimmed  key,  enclosing 
a  reddish  stone,  on  which  was  engraved  a  man  with  a  gun 
and  dog;  he  desired  that  the  watch  be  produced.  Dick 
declared  he  had  no  such  watch  in  his  possession.  One  of 
the  citizens  present  said  he  had  seen  a  watch  in  his  pos- 
session. The  Justice  told  him  he  must  produce  it.  He 
persisted  in  saying  he  had  no  such  watch.  Friend  War- 
ner said  to  him,  "Richard,  if  thee  has  a  watch  let  me  see 
it."  He  then  handed  him  the  watch,  saying  he  bought  it 
from  a  colored  man.  Upon  examination  it  proved  to  be 
the  watch  described  by  the  Colonel.  The  Justice  said  the 
testimony  was  sufficient  to  warrant  him  in  delivering 
Richard  to  his  master.  The  Colonel  asked  for  a  commit- 
ment to  take  him  to  jail  until  he  could  take  him  back  to 
Virginia.  Dick  became  very  much  excited  and  plead 
with  the  people  not  to  suffer  him  to  be  taken  to  Virginia. 


A  HISTORY  OJP  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I29 

He  would  rather  die  on  the  spot  than  be  taken  back.  A 
proposition  was  made  to  raise  by  subscription,  money  to 
purchase  his  freedom.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
wait  on  the  Colonel  to  ascertain  on  what  terms  he  would 
grant  him  his  freedom.  He  said  he  was  a  valuable  man 
to  him,  that  he  not  only  had  a  right  to  his  services,  but 
he  had  a  claim  upon  his  son,  a  boy  about  14  years  old,  but 
if  they  would  pay  him  $500  and  deliver  up  the  watch,  he 
would  give  him  his  freedom  papers.  The  committee  then 
waited  on  the  citizens  soliciting  donations.  They  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  $150,  the  most  of  which  was  given  by 
the  Warners.  The  committee  again  waited  on  the 
Colonel  to  see  if  he  would  agree  to  take  a  lesser  sum,  as 
they  could  not  raise  the  amount  demanded.  He  said 
Richard  and  his  son  would  be  worth  to  him  in  Virginia 
$1,500.  The  committee  said  the  boy's  mother,  on  hearing 
the  Justice's  decision  had  packed  up  his  clothes  and  bade 
him  run  for  his  life,  and  that  he  had  left  the  town.  The 
Colonel  finally  agreed  to  take  $350  and  the  watch.  A 
Friend  said  he  would  loan  Richard  $200.  The  money  was 
paid  with  the  watch  and  Richard  Russell,  alias  Dick 
Shad,  became  a  free  man.  Thus  ended  the  first  and  only 
slave  case  ever  tried  in  Bristol.  Dick's  son  never  returned 
to  Bristol.  His  parents  never  heard  from  him  or  knew 
what  became  of  him. 

The  Farmers'  National  Bank. — The  Farmers'  Bank, 
the  first  in  the  county,  was  organized  in  1814.  The  books 
for  subscriptions  were  opened  at  various  points  from. 
August  8th  to  the  19th,  and  the  commissioners  met  at 
Doylestown  on  the  20th.  The  stockholders  met  at  Har- 
mon Mitchener's,  Milford  (now  Hulmeville),  in  Middle- 
town,  December  5th,  to  choose  directors  and  fix  upon  a 
place  for  locating  the  bank.  The  directors  chose  John 
Hulme  the  first  president,  and  George  Harrison  the 
cashier.  Joseph  Pickering  was  elected  clerk.  A  portion 
of  the  house  of  George  Hulme  was  occupied  as  a  bank- 
ing room,  and  the  president  was  directed  to  procure  a 
large  chest  made  of  strong  plank,  covered  with  sheet  iron, 
and  secured  by  strong  locks  and  bolts  in  a  secret  manner. 
This  box  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  bank,  kept  as  a 


130 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


relic  of  its  early  days.  Joseph  Hulme  became  president 
in  1818,  John  Newbold  in  1821,  Anthony  Taylor  in  1823, 
John  Paxson,  Anthony  Burton,  Caleb  N.  Taylor  and 
Benjamin  Taylor  subsequently.  George  Harrison  was 
succeeded  as  cashier  by  William  Newbold  in  1823 ;  Rob- 
ert C.  Beatty  was  elected  to  this  office  in  1827 ;  C.  T.  Ire- 
dell in  1867,  and  Charles  E.  Scott,  the  present  incumbent, 
in  1882.  The  original  capital  was  $60,000.  This  was  in- 
creased to  $90,000  in  1836,  and  to  $92,220  in 
1837,  at  which  sum  it  has  since  remained. 
It  was  reorganized  as  a  national  bank  January 
13,  1865,  and  has  been  rechartered.     The  surplus  fund  is 


FARMERS    NATIONAL    BANK. 


almost  three  times  as  much  as  its  capital.  The  bank  re- 
mained in  Hulmeville  until  1830,  when  it  was  removed 
to  Bristol  and  located  in  Dr.  Pursell's  building  on  Mill 
Street,  now  occupied  as  a  bakery  by  Axel  Swain.  In 
1833  it  was  removed  to  its  present  location  The  building 
it  now  occupies  was  built  in  1818  by  James  Craig,  of 
Philadelphia,  for  a  summer  residence  at  a  cost  of  $15,000. 
Mr.  Craig  resided  in  the  building  until  his  death,  and  it 
was   afterward   occupied   by   his    sisters.      During  their 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I3I 

occupancy  Lieutenant  Hunter,  of  the  navy,  who  killed 
young  Miller  of  Philadelphia,  in  a  duel,  and  his  second, 
Lieutenant  Burns,  were  both  secreted  in  the  building  un- 
til public  indignation  had  subsided  and  they  were  sus- 
pended. They  were  both  afterward  restored  and  Hunter 
became  the  somewhat  celebrated  **Alvarado"  Hunter. 

First  Woolen  Mill. — A  woolen  mill  was  erected  in  1815 
by  Joseph  and  Abraham  Warner,  at  that  point  on  the 
south  side  of  Mill  Street  now  occupied  by  the  canal  and 
the  railroad.  It  was  a  three-story  frame  building,  forty 
by  eighty  feet,  and  comprised  780  spindles,  with  the 
requisite  cording  and  other  machinery,  two  hand  looms 
for  weaving  satinets,  and  six  looms  for  plaids  and  checks, 
employing  twenty-four  hands.  The  mill  was  leased  to 
Isaac  Pitcher.  A  dispute  arose  between  him  and  the 
owners,  involving  his  right  to  use  the  water  power  when 
there  was  not  sufficient  to  run  both  mills.  Pitcher  was 
defeated  in  the  courts.  He  removed  his  machinery  to 
Groveville,  N.  J.,  and  the  abandoned  building  was  after- 
ward destroyed  by  fire. 

Sime  Ento,  the  Spanish  Minister. — Among  the  many 
families  of  wealth  and  social  position,  who  have  lived  in 
Bristol  from  time  to  time,  was  one  Sime  Ento,  the  Span- 
ish Minister  of  the  United  States.  He  lived  on  RadcliiTe 
street  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Ernest  Lawrence,  next 
door  to  the  Elks'  Home.  It  is  related  that  he  built  a 
miniature  fort  at  the  foot  of  his  grounds  facing  the  river, 
upon  which  two  small  brass  cannon  were  mounted.  There 
were  two  sets  of  halyards  upon  the  flagstaflfs,  one  for  the 
flag  of  Spain  and  the  other  for  the  national  colors  of  this 
country.  On  a  certain  Fourth  of  July  occasion  William 
Gosline,  who  had  charge  of  the  munitions  of  war,  was 
directed  to  run  up  the  flags.  He  did  so  in  such  a  way  as 
to  place  the  stars  and  stripes  above  the  flag  of  Spain. 
Sime  Ento  inquired  with  some  surprise  why  they  were 
not  run  up  together,  upon  which  Gosline  replied,  "His 
country's  flag  first,  and  those  of  others  afterward,"  a  sen- 
timent which  his  master  was  generous  enough  to  appre- 
ciate.   He  was  recalled  after  some  years  and  succeeded  as 


132  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

minister  by  Don  De  Onis,  who  took  up  his  residence  on 
Radcliffe  Street,  and  laid  out  the  grounds  adjoining  with 
care  and  taste.  It  is  said  that  the  marriage  by  proxy  of 
his  daughter  and  a  Spanish  army  officer  was  the  first  cere- 
mony so  performed  in  this  country.  It  occurred  at  high 
noon  in  both  countries,  Father  Hogan,  of  Philadelphia, 
officiating  at  Bristol.  Augustus  Claudious,  the  German 
consul  at  Philadelphia;  Baron  Ludwig,  of  Prussia,  and 
Captain  Piquet,  of  the  French  navy,  all  resided  here  and 
as  the  representatives  of  their  respective  governments, 
added  much  to  the  wealth  and  respectability  of  the 
community. 

Don  de  Onis  lived  in  the  house  adjoining  the  residence 
of  Robert  Clark,  on  Radclifife  Street,  two  doors  north  of 
the  old  Presbyterian  Church.  The  lot  embraced  all  the 
land  between  Radcliffe,  Mulberry  and  Cedar  Streets,  to 
the  line  of  the  property  now  occupied  by  E.  W.  Minster. 
The  grounds  were  laid  out  in  serpentine  walks,  artificial 
bridges  and  planted  with  beautiful  shrubbery.  Don  de 
Onis  had  two  daughters  and  they  could  be  seen  morning 
and  evening  with  their  governess,  promenading  through 
the  garden  sketching  whatever  was  beautiful  and  attract- 
ive. The  elder  daughter  was  an  artist  of  considerable 
merit.  Her  drawing  of  the  scenery  along  the  river  bank, 
the  island  opposite,  with  Burlington  in  the  distance,  was 
a  beautiful  picture.  She  took  it  to  Spain  to  show  her 
friends  the  beautiful  home  she  occupied  in  Bristol. 

Augustus  Claudius  the  German  Consul,  lived  in  the 
house  recently  demolished,  where  the  Elks'  new  home  is 
now  erected.  He  bought  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Rad- 
cliffe  and  Walnut  Streets,  enclosed  it  with  a  high  wire 
fence  and  laid  it  out  in  beautiful  plots  for  a  playground 
for  his  children.  He  became  involved  in  financial  diffi- 
culties and  his  property  was  sold,  and  Paul  Beck,  of  Phil- 
adelphia, who  advanced  him  large  sums  of  money,  be- 
came the  owner,  and  Claudius  returned  with  his  family 
to  Germany. 

Baron  Ludwig,  the  Consul  from  Prussia,  with  his  wife 
and  daughter,  boarded  with  J.  R.  Scott,  who  kept  the 
Cross  Keys  Hotel,  now  occupied  by  Franklin  Gilkeson 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  1 33 

as  a  real  estate  office,  and  Emil  Martin  as  a  drug  store. 
The  daughter  died  of  scarlet  fever  and  was  buried  in  St. 
James'  graveyard.  A  broken  column  marks  the  place 
where  the  little  one  is  interred. 

Antonie  Furey  Piquot,  Knight  of  the  Order  of  St. 
Louis,  captain  in  the  French  navy,  came  to  Bristol  from 
Boston.  He  stopped  with  Mr.  Bessonett,  who  kept  the 
Delaware  House,  where  he  remained  a  year  and  then 
rented  a  house.  He  was  wounded  in  a  duel  with  a  fel- 
low officer,  which  rendered  him  unfit  for  duty  in  the  navy. 
He  died  in  1845,  ^^^^  was  buried  in  St.  James'  churchyard. 

Bristolians  Drafted  Into  Military  Service  in  War  of 
1812. — Under  date  of  October  17,  1814,  the  following 
record  is  made :  "The  inhabitants  of  the  Borough  of  Bris- 
tol were  notified  to  a  meeting  at  the  council  chamber,  at 
3  o'clock,  to  consider  the  best  mode  of  relieving  those 
families  of  drafted  militia  that  may  be  in  want.  It  was 
the  opinion  of  the  meeting,  that  the  burgesses  and  coun- 
cil were  the  most  suitable  to  provide  the  means  and  ap- 
point the  committee  to  inquire  into  the  wants  of  their 
families.  The  borough  officers  agreed  to  meet  at  the 
house  of  John  Bessonett,  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening,  to 
consider  on  the  above  business.  The  borough  officers  met 
agreeably  to  agreement:  'Whereas  it  appears  necessary 
that  a  certain  sum  of  money  should  be  appropriated  for 
the  use  of  the  drafted  militiamen's  families;  Resolved, 
that  $100  be  appropriated  for  said  use.'  " 

Jones'  Ship  Yard. — In  the  early  part  of  the  last  century, 
a  shipbuilding  industry  was  founded  at  the  junction  of 
the  Delaware  River  and  Adams  Hollow  Creek,  by 
Messrs.  Kirk  and  Lamb.  They  were  succeeded  by  a 
man  named  Thompson.  The  latter  sold  his  business  to 
Risley  and  White,  and  they,  in  turn,  were  succeeded  by 
Captain  William  Jones.  Although  the  industry  has  been 
discontinued  for  upwards  of  thirty  years,  yet  the  name 
has  clung  to  the  location,  and  to  those  of  this  generation 
it  is  still  known  as  Jones'  shipyard.  During  the  years 
when  the  yard  was  in  operation,  many  large  and  costly 
schooners  were  built  and  it  is  the  purpose  of  this  article 
to  give  the  names  of  as  many  as  can  be  remembered  by 


134  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

some  of  our  oldest  citizens,  to  whom  the  writer  is  in- 
debted for  the  information  here  given. 

Between  1840  and  1850,  two  schooners  were  built  for 
Terrence  Brady,  Sr.,  a  resident  of  Bristol  Township.  One 
was  named  George  Washington,  in  honor  of  the 
"father  of  our  country,"  and  the  other  the  Enterprise, 
the  latter  one  being  in  charge  of  Captain  James  McClain. 
Both  schooners  were  of  150  tons  each.  The  next  one  built 
about  1852,  was  a  large  schooner,  perhaps  250  tons, 
named  Adele  Felicia,  for  a  daughter  of  James  Johnson, 
an  old  resident  of  Bristol  and  a  stockholder  in  the  vessel. 
She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Rackett,  a  prominent 
resident  of  New  Jersey. 

The  following  schooners  were  next  built  in  the  order 
named :  Harriet  and  Sarah,  named  for  the  two  daugh- 
ters of  Captain  William  Tice;  Thomas  C.  Worth,  about 
300  tons,  built  for  parties  in  Philadelphia  and  lost  on  her 
first  voyage ;  Mary  A.  Bromley,  Captain  Daniel  T. 
Muncey,  a  resident  of  Bristol,  and  owned  by  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  parties ;  Increase,  which  also  went  to  an  Eastern 
port;  Isaac  Anderson,  owned  by  residents  of  New  Jersey; 
Allan  Downing,  built  for  Captain  Edward  Rice  and  other 
Bristol  residents;  Emeline  Rickey,  Captain  Lewis  Tice, 
named  for  a  daughter  of  Kirkbride  Rickey,  a  farmer  in 
Bristol  Township  and  a  stockholder;  Reindeer,  owned 
by  Captain  Lemuel  Jarvis  and  others. 

The  James  Buchanan,  a  300-ton  schooner  was  built 
in  1856,  for  Captain  Albert  De  Groot  and  other  residents 
of  Bristol.  She  sailed  from  here  in  the  fall  of  1856  with 
her  first  cargo  of  coal  for  New  Orleans,  where  she  arrived 
safely,  and  was  subsequently  sold  at  a  good  figure  to 
parties  who  sent  her  to  Cuba.  From  there  she  sailed  to 
the  coast  of  Africa,  bringing  back  a  load  of  slaves  for 
Cuba.  Twice  afterwards,  she  sailed  to  Africa  and  brought 
back  a  cargo  of  slaves.  On  her  last  trip  she  was  chased 
by  a  British  man-of-war,  but  being  a  fast  sailer,  she 
reached  her  destination  first,  landed  her  slaves,  then  ran 
into  the  Bay  of  Honduras,  and  was  burned  by  her  crew, 
who  made  their  escape  in  small  boats. 

The  next  schooner  to  be  built  was  the  Nathan  Tyler, 
named  for  one  of  the  stockholders.    She  was  commanded 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I35 

by  Captain  George  D.  Hunter,  a  promising  and  well 
built  young  man.  In  December,  1857,  the  vessel  encoun- 
tered a  severe  gale  of  wind.  The  Captain,  who  was  at  the 
wheel,  gave  orders  to  heave  the  anchor  overboard  and 
ran  to  help  the  crew.  In  the  excitement.  Captain  Hunter 
picked  up  the  anchor  himself  and  threw  it  into  the  water, 
thus  saving  the  schooner  from  damage,  but  injuring  him- 
self internally,  from  which  injuries  he  died  in  a  few  days, 
leaving  a  widow  and  one  child,  a  little  boy.  His  remains 
were  interred  in  the  M.  E.  burial  ground,  of  which 
church  he  was  a  much  respected  member.  The  schooner 
Wm.  H.  White  was  next  built  and  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain John  Montgomery.  This  was  followed  by  the  "An- 
thony Burton,  Captain  Levi  Johnson  commanding,  and 
the  sloop  Catch  Me  If  You  Can,  belonging  to  D.  Lan- 
dreth  &  Son,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Henr.y  Hibbs. 

The  Lucius  H.  Scott,  a  schooner  of  300  tons,  and 
owned  by  her  Captain,  Lemuel  Jarvis  and  other  resi- 
dents of  Bristol,  was  built  on  the  upper  side  of  the  Hol- 
low Creek.  She  was  loaded  with  coal  and  went  down 
one  calm  morning  off  Fire  Island,  near  New  York,  caused 
by  a  break  in  her  water  pipes  in  the  state  room.  Her  crew 
escaped  in  small  boats. 

The  following  schooners  owned  by  Bristol  parties  were 
built  elsewhere :  Mary  Tice,  Captain  James  Tice ;  Jessie 
W.  Knight,  Captain  Charles  Fenton;  Ellwood  Doron, 
Captain  Lemuel  Jarvis;  Gilbert  Green,  Captain  John 
Fisher;  John  C.  Henry,  Captain  Herbert  M.  Fenton; 
Hannah  Warwick,  Captain  Somers  Warwick;  Ellwood 
Burton ;  Margaret  Mary,  Captain  Morris  Lawrence ; 
Hile  Wright,  Captain  John  Fisher;  Lizzie  D.  Small, 
Captain  Lewis  Tice;  Mattie  E.  Hand,  Captain  E.  C. 
Hand;  John  Dorrance,  Captain  Edward  Rice.  The  last 
named  boat  left  New  York,  December  23rd,  1864,  for 
Philadelphia,  with  a  cargo  of  loose  barley.  While  near- 
ing  Cape  May  a  violent  wind  and  blinding  snow  storm 
was  encountered  and  after  three  unsuccessful  efforts  to 
enter  the  capes,  the  vessel  was  blown  on  her  beam  ends 
and  the  barley  getting  wet  shifted,  rendering  the  schooner 
unmanageable  and  driving  her  some  500  miles  toward  the 
Bahama  Islands.    The  crew  were  kept  at  the  pumps  day 


136  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

and  night.  Their  provisions  being  spoiled  by  the  salt 
water,  they  lived  on  roasted  barley  for  sixteen  days, 
when  they  were  rescued  by  a  passing  steamer  and  car- 
ried to  New  York.  William  Munce,  Sr.,  was  the  steward 
on  this  vessel  and  during  his  life,  gave  many  thrilling 
accounts  of  the  disaster. 

Captain  Heiss,  who  lived  in  the  house  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Jessie  W.  Knight  on  Radcliffe  Street,  oper- 
ated a  boat  yard  which  extended  to  the  property  owned 
by  G.  M.  Dorrance  at  the  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Mul- 
berry streets.  Captain  Jacob  Johnson,  Sr.,  who  fol- 
lowed the  water  many  years,  bought  the  sloop  New  Jer- 
sey, brought  her  to  Bristol  and  had  her  repaired  and  en- 
larged on  the  ground  where  Dr.  Lehman's  residence  now 
stands.    The  sloop  was  wrecked  on  Cornfield  Shoals. 

Joseph  Bonaparte,  ex-King  of  Spain.— It  is  said  that 
on  the  arrival  of  Joseph  Bonaparte  in  America  in  1816, 
in  looking  at  several  properties  with  a  view  of  purchas- 
ing, he  was  much  pleased  with  two  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Bristol ;  the  one  owned  by  D.  Landreth  &  Sons  above, 
and  the  place  called  China  Retreat,  below  the  borough, 
one  of  which  he  would  have  purchased  had  it  not  been 
that  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania  prohibited  a  foreigner  from 
holding  real  estate.  New  Jersey  had  a  similar  law.  The 
legislature  repealed  it  as  an  inducement  for  him  to  settle 
in  their  state.  He  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  at  Bor- 
dentown  and  spent  many  thousands  of  dollars  in  build- 
ings and  improvement  of  the  land.  New  Jersey  has  since 
been  called  Spain. 

Major  Lenox  and  the  Keene  Mansion. — Major  Lenox 
who  represented  the  government  of  the  United  States  at 
the  court  of  St.  James,  was  a  resident  of  Bristol  for 
many  years.  He  built  the  splendid  mansion  known  as 
the  Miss  Keene's  residence,  which  she  occupied  many 
years  after  the  major's  death.  It  was  built  in  1816  during 
the  residence  of  the  major  and  his  lady  in  Bristol.  They 
were  visited  by  many  distinguished  men  of  this  country 
and  Europe.  Joseph  Bonaparte,  ex-king  of  Spain,  whose 
residence  was  at  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  was  a  frequent  vis- 
itor.    He  would  come  down  the   river  in  his  splendid 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 


137 


barge  accompanied  by  his  nephew,  Prince  Murat,  rowed 
by  four  oarsmen,  with  the  American  and  French  flags 
flying  fore  and  aft.  Some  times  he  would  drive  down, 
coming  by  way  of  Trenton.  On  one  of  his  visits  he  met 
with  an  accident  that  came  near  being  a  serious  matter. 
In  those  days  it  was  a  custom  in  repairing  the  roads  by 
the  supervisors,  to  scrape  out  the  dirt  so  that  the  water 
could  pass  from  one  side  of  the  road  to  the  other;  they 


THE    KEENE    MANSION,    RADCIvlFFE    STREET. 


were  called  fall-backs.  In  crossing  one,  the  driver,  not 
noticing  it,  was  thrown  from  his  seat.  The  horses  be- 
came frightened  and  started  on  a  run.  Bonaparte  opened 
the  door  of  the  carriage  and  jumped  out.  He  fell  on  his 
head  and  was  unable  to  rise.  Dr.  Phillips,  who  was  re- 
turning from  a  visit  to  one  of  his  patients  in  Tullytown, 
overtook  the  driver  who  informed  him  of  the  accident. 
The  doctor  whipped  up  his  horse  and  found  the  ex-king 
sitting  by  the  roadside.  After  examination,  finding  no 
fracture  of  the  limbs,  he  brought  him  to  Bristol.  He 
remained  at  the  Delaware  House  under  the  treatment  of 
the  doctor  until  the  next  day,  when  he  returned  home. 


138  A  HISTORY  OK  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

The  horses  and  carriage  reached  Bristol  before  they 
were  overtaken,  and  upon  examination  it  was  found  that 
no  serious  damage  had  been  done.  It  was  said  that  a  few 
days  after  the  return  home  of  Bonaparte,  the  doctor  re- 
ceived a  letter  containing  a  $100  bill. 

Major  Lenox's  neice,  Miss  Sarah  Lukens  Keene,  who 
was  one  of  his  family,  fell  heir  to  his  estate.  She  was  a 
lady  of  personal  beauty,  as  well  as  mental  culture.  Dur- 
ing the  residence  of  her  uncle  in  England,  she  frequently 
attended  the  receptions  given  to  the  foreign  ministers  by 
the  king,  who,  on  one  occasion  led  her  in  the  dance,  after 
which  he  complimented  her  on  her  beauty  and  graceful- 
ness. During  her  stay  in  England  she  was  known  as  the 
American  beauty.  Shortly  after  the  major's  return  home, 
John  Hare  Powell  made  her  acquaintance  and  courted 
her  with  a  view  to  marriage.  When  he  solicited  her  con- 
sent she  referred  him  to  her  aunt.  When  he  called 
upon  the  old  lady  she  listened  to  his  pleadings  and 
replied :  "Mr.  Powell,  you  ask  my  consent  to  your  mar- 
riage with  my  neice.  My  answer  is  Miss  Sarah  L.  Keene 
is  intended  for  the  son  of  a  duke  or  a  lord  and  not  for  the 
son  of  a  brewer.  The  gentleman  picked  up  his  hat  and 
departed  and  the  courtship  ended. 

John  Hare  Powell  married  and  became  one  of  Phil- 
adelphia's honored  and  enterprising  citizens.  Miss  Sarah 
died  an  old  maid.  She  devised  her  beautiful  mansion  on 
the  river  bank,  its  furniture  and  several  thousand  dollars 
to  the  Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the 
diocese  of  Philadelphia,  in  trust,  for  the  maintenance  of 
five,  six  or  more  aged  gentlewomen,  widows  or  single 
women  of  respectability  and  decayed  fortunes,  who  had 
become  destitute  in  old  age.  Since  the  death  of  Miss 
Keene  down  to  the  present  year  the  property  remained  as 
it  was  at  the  time  of  her  departure.  Nothing  apparently 
had  been  done  to  carry  out  the  noble  bequest  of  a  benevo- 
lent hearted  lady.  Last  year  (1910)  the  heirs  of  Miss 
Keene  endeavored  to  set  aside  the  will,  on  account  of 
the  failure  of  the  trustees  to  fulfill  its  provisions.  A  few 
months  ago,  to  the  great  surprise  of  the  Bristol  people, 
who  for  years  have  looked  upon  the  property  as  "the 
haunted  house,"  the  shutters  of  the  building  were  thrown 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I39 

Open,  carpenters  and  painters  have  plied  their  trades  on 
the  inside  and  outside,  until  today  it  resembles  somewhat 
its  former  glory  and  grandeur.  This  action  of  the  heirs 
has  forced  the  trustees  to  at  last  carry  out  the  wishes  of 
the  testatrix. 

The  house  is  white  plastered  on  the  outside  and  con- 
tains large  rooms  and  windows.  All  the  fixtures,  mantel 
pieces  and  staircases  are  of  the  colonial  style.  At  the 
front  and  over  the  large  door  is  a  hood  of  colonial  archi- 
tecture, on  the  front  door  is  a  knocker  in  the  shape  of  an 
eagle  and  just  to  one  side  is  an  old  fashioned  door  bell, 
all  of  which  add  to  the  beauty  and  quaintness  of  the 
house.  A  large  lawn  surrounds  the  house.  In  the  rear 
the  lawn  slopes  gently  down  to  the  river.  Here  an  open- 
ing is  seen  overgrown  with  vines  but  upon  closer  examin- 
ation it  appears  to  have  been  a  passageway  which  led  to  a 
large  cave  under  the  ground.  Many  stories  are  told  about 
this  cave.  It  has  been  said  that  at  one  time,  during  the 
Revolutionary  War,  Washington  and  some  of  his  men 
hid  therein.  Others  say  it  once  had  an  entrance  to  the 
house  and  was  used  as  a  secret  passage  to  the  river,  but 
the  most  likely  story  is  that  at  one  time  it  was  used 
simply  as  an  ice  house.  Entering  the  house  by  the  front 
door  one  first  comes  into  a  large  reception  hall  where  a 
staircase  of  pure  mahogany  leads  to  the  upper  floors.  In 
this  hall  a  large  tablet  is  seen  upon  the  wall,  placed  there 
by  Sarah  Lukens  Keene,  the  owner,  in  memory  of  her 
aunt,  Tracy  Lenox.  The  tablet  bears  the  following 
inscription : 

"Sarah  Ltikens  Keene  bequeathed  and  dedicated  this  house  to 
which  it  is  by  her  will  directed  from  devoted  affection,  to  the 
memory  of  her  dearly  beloved  aunt,  Tracy  Lenox,  who  died  in  it 
on  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  August,  1834,  and  it  is  consecrated 
to  her  memory  to  be  a  monument  and  perpetual  memorial  of  the 
testratrix,  love  and  reverence  for  her  who  was  her  parent  in 
every  deed,  the  tender,  affectionate  guardian  and  guide  of  her 
infancy,  and  the  true  and  faithful  friend  of  her  mature  years; 
whose  warm  heart  glowed  with  benevolence,  sympathy  and 
feeHng  for  the  unfortunate  and  destitute,  and  whose  open  hand 
was  always  ready  to  extend  relief,  and  her  kindly  voice  to  utter 
words  of  consolation  to  the  bereaved  and  afflicted." 
10 


I40  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

From  the  reception  hall  one  next  enters  the  reception 
room,  then  the  parlor  and  lastly  the  dining  room,  all  of 
which  are  spacious  and  beautiful,  with  marble  mantels 
and  large  windows.  Out  from  the  dining  room  is  a  bal- 
cony which  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  river.  Going  up 
the  winding  stairs  a  balcony  is  seen  with  the  railing  of 
pure  mahogany.  This  leads  to  the  hall  on  the  second 
floor,  where  doors  on  each  side  lead  into  four  bedrooms, 
all  the  woodwork  being  plain  and  painted  white.  The 
rooms  on  all  the  floors  have  white  plastered  walls.  A 
still  narrower  stairway  of  the  same  design  leads  to  the 
third  floor,  which  has  five  rooms  and  two  hallways.  In 
the  ceiling  of  one  of  the  halls  is  a  trap  door  leading  to 
a  loft  where  it  is  said  the  servants  were  made  to  sleep. 
Going  back  to  the  basement  one  sees  two  rooms  and  a 
hallway.  Over  the  building  many  closets  are  seen  which 
were  made  after  the  pattern  of  those  used  in  colonial 
days. 

Lafayette's    Visit,    Monday,     September    27,     1824. — 

Lafayette  was  met  at  Morrisville  by  Governor  John  An- 
drew Shultze,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  extended  him  a 
hearty  welcome  as  he  stepped  upon  Pennsylvania  soil. 
Lafayette  rode  in  a  splendid  barouche  drawn  by  six  dark, 
cream  colored  horses,  with  two  outriders  on  horses  of 
the  same  color.  The  First  City  Troop  of  Philadelphia, 
under  Captain  John  R.  C.  Smith,  acted  as  the  immediate 
escort  of  the  general.  Other  troops  from  Philadelphia 
and  Bucks  Counties  and  a  numerous  cavalcade  of  citi- 
zens, attended  him  to  Bristol,  where  he  arrived  at  i 
o'clock.  Governor  Shultze  followed  Lafayette  in  a 
barouche  drawn  by  four  black  horses.  The  whole  sur- 
rounding country  poured  its  inhabitants  into  Bristol  to 
witness  the  arrival  of  the  "nation's  guest."  William  F. 
Swift,  Dr.  John  Phillips  and  David  Dorrance  had  been 
appointed  a  committee  to  give  him  a  grand  reception.  A 
triumphal  arch  was  erected  at  the  Hollow  Bridge,  with 
the  inscription,  ''Welcome  Friend."  The  citizens  turned 
out  and  formed  on  both  sides  of  the  street,  mothers  with 
babes  in  their  arms  and  old  men  leaning  on  their  staffs. 
After  the  reception  he  was  escorted  to  Mr.   Bessonett's 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I4I 

private  mansion,  the  house  now  occupied  by  Curtis  How- 
ell, at  the  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Mill  Streets.  The  com- 
mittee had  prepared  a  splendid  lunch  for  the  general  and 
his  suite;  speeches  were  made  and  good  hearty  hurrahs 
given.  After  the  crowd  had  gone,  Mrs.  Bessonett  was 
introduced  and  related  the  circumstances  of  her  having 
nursed  him  during  his  former  stay  in  Bristol,  from  the 
effects  of  his  wound  received  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine. 
He  recognized  her  and  expressed  great  pleasure  in  meet- 
ing one  who  had  been  so  kind  and  attentive  to  him  during 
his  sickness  in  Bristol.  After  a  rest  of  two  hours,  the 
line  of  march  was  formed  and  the  procession  marched  to 
the  Philadelpiha  county  line  at  Harrowgate,  under  com- 
mand of  Major  General  John  Davis,  who  commanded  the 
Bucks  County  Militia,  and  Joseph  Hough,  of  Point  Pleas- 
ant, Bucks  County,  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Thirty-third 
Regiment,  -and  reached  Frankford  at  quarter  before  7 
o'clock  Monday  evening. 

The  arch  disappeared  for  a  number  of  years,  but  when 
Andrew  Shafifer  took  possession  of  the  Badger  farm,  near 
Bristol,  some  years  ago,  the  old  arch  and  a  life-size  oil 
painting  of  General  Lafayette  were  found  stored  away 
in  one  of  the  barns.  The  painting  was  destroyed  several 
years  ago  by  a  party  of  tramps,  who  entered  the  barn  and 
maliciously  cut  the  canvas  into  ribbons.  Upon  the  arch 
is  the  inscription :  ''Welcome  Friend,"  which  greeting 
was  intended,  when  the  paint  which  formed  the  words 
were  new  and  fresh,  for  General  Lafayette.  Several  times 
since  the  finding  of  the  arch,  it  has  been  used  upon  im- 
portant occasions  in  Bristol.  The  arch  is  still  well  pre- 
served, and  is  now  in  the  custody  of  Henry  Clay  Beatty 
Post,  No.  73,  G.  A.  R. 

A  Tale  of  the  Stage  Coach  Days. — Dr.  Howard  Pursell 
hands  down  the  following  story,  having  received  it  from 
the  late  William  Kinsey.  It  relates  to  the  old  house,  213 
Cedar  Street,  next  to  Masonic  Hall,  now  occupied  by 
Samuel  Scott : 

''Some  time  in  the  twenties  of  the  last  century,,  a  gentle- 
man took  the  stage  in  New  York,  intending  to  travel  to 
Philadelphia  and  thence  to  Washington.  The  stage  ar- 
rived  at   Bristol   about   midnight   and   the   journey  was 


142  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

halted  at  the  Delaware  House.  Here  the  horses  were 
changed  and  the  passengers  given  an  opportunity  to  seek 
refreshments. 

"The  gentleman  left  the  conveyance  to  take  a  short 
walk  in  order  to  relieve  himself  of  the  stiffness  occasioned 
by  the  long  journey.  It  was  a  beautiful,  crisp  autumn 
night  and  the  brilliant  moon  cast  its  gentle  sheen  upon  all 
surrounding  objects  giving  them  a  startling  distinctness. 
The  man  walked  up  Radcliffe  Street  towards  Market. 
When  he  reached  Market  he  was  startled  at  the  sight  of 
a  young  woman  who  appeared  suddenly  from  the  dark 
shadows  thrown  by  the  old  town  house.  The  moonlight 
shone  full  upon  her  as  she  reached  Radclifife  Street,  and 
the  traveler  could  see  that  she  was  young  and  very  fair. 
Her  face  was  pale  and  her  eyes  were  flashing  with  a 
strange  fire.  She  was  clad  in  a  loose  gown,  which 
fluttered  in  the  cool  breeze.  Suddenly  she  saw  the 
stranger  on  the  opposite  side  gazing  at  her  curiously. 
She  had  walked  out  Market  Street  as  if  with  the  intention 
of  crossing  Radclifife,  but  upon  noticing  the  gentleman, 
she  turned  sharply  and  stepped  with  a  quick  nervous  step 
up  Radcliflfe  Street.  The  stranger  thought  the  matter 
somewhat  extraordinary,  but  finding  his  time  too  short, 
returned  to  the  stage,  which  was  about  to  resume  its  way 
towards  Philadelphia.  On  his  trip  to  Washington  he 
mused  over  the  matter,  the  recollection  of  which  con- 
stantly reverted  to  his  mind  with  that  inexplicable  per- 
sistency with  which  certain  occurrences  will  annoyingly 
obtrude  themselves  in  one's  thoughts  at  inopportune 
moments.  Several  weeks  later  he  returned  to  New  York 
by  the  same  route.  The  stage  as  was  customary,  stopped 
at  the  Delaware  House  to  afiford  the  passengers  time  to 
dine.  The  gentleman  betook  himself  to  mine  host,  who 
was  John  Bessonett  and  rallied  him  upon  the  improprie- 
ty of  Bristol's  young  ladies,  walking  about  unattended  at 
midnight.  Bessonett  appearing  confused,  the  man  ex- 
plained the  occurrence  of  a  few  weeks  before.  The  land- 
lord then  told  the  stranger  the  remainder  of  the  story. 
The  young  lady  lived  in  the  house  on  Cedar  Street,  No. 
213.  That  night,  at  midnight,  she  had  risen  from  her  bed, 
dofifed  her  street  apparel  and  walked  down  Market  Street 
to  the  point  where  the  traveler  had  seen  her. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I43 

''The  following  morning  several  articles  of  women's 
clothing  were  found  on  the  wharf  at  Walnut  Street.  It 
was  soon  learned  that  the  young  woman  was  missing, 
and  it  was  naturally  presumed  that  she  had  done  away 
with  herself  in  the  Delaware.  Subsequently  the  proof  of 
the  supposition  was  demonstrated  by  the  appearance  of 
the  body  floating  in  the  river." 

Rowland  Stephenson. — Among  the  residents  of  Bristol, 
1825-1856,  was  a  man  quite  distinguished  because  of  the 
social  position  which  his  family  occupied  in  England, 
and  because  of  an  unfortunate  notoriety  which  he  him- 
self gained  by  reason  of  some  charges  of  embezzlement. 
This  man's  name  was  Rowland  Stephenson,  a  man  of 
high  attainment  and  distinguished  appearance.  He  was 
a  son  of  an  Englishman  of  rank,  and  at  one  time  a  banker 
in  the  City  of  London. 

His  confidential  clerk  speculated  in  trust  funds,  and 
lost  $150,000;  upon  which  Stephenson  made  the  mistake 
of  leaving  home.  A  writ  of  outlawry  was  taken  out  and 
the  law  officers  followed  Stephenson  to  America.  These 
officers  arrested  him,  without  a  warrant,  and  pressed  him 
on  an  English  vessel  sailing  from  the  port  of  New  York 
for  London.  The  ship  becoming  disabled  at  sea  was 
finally  taken  to  the  port  of  New  Orleans.  Here  Stephen- 
son was  released,  and  returning  to  New  York  City  met 
Captain  John  Myers,  of  Bristol,  who  had  transacted  busi- 
ness with  him  at  London. 

Captain  Myers  invited  Stephenson  to  his  home  at 
Bristol,  and  in  1825  he  took  up  his  permanent  residence 
in  Bristol,  where  he  remained  until  his  death  in  1856. 
He  was  buried  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  James. 

His  son,  a  captain  in  the  British  Army,  in  1852  had  the 
outlawry  process  revoked,  but  his  father  would  not 
return. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  celebrated  Beef-Steak  Club  of 
London,  an  interesting  reference  to  him  will  be  found  in 
Volume  No.  i,  Colburns'  Clubs  of  London,  1828. 

His  executors  were  Lucious  H.  Scott  and  Robert  C. 
Beatty,  who  forwarded  $20,000  to  his  son.  Sir  Rowland 
Stephenson.    (Contributed  by  Captain  Burnet  Landreth.) 


144  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


EPOCH    VI. 


BRISTOL  A  COALPORT  TOWN. 


From  1827,  the  Construction  of  the  Canal,  to  1861,  the 
Opening  of  the  Civil  War. 

History  of  the  Canal.— In  1886,  the  late  William  Kin- 
sey,  who  was  a  local  historian,  furnished  the  Bucks 
County  Gazette  with  the  following  history  of  the  Dela- 
ware Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Canal.  The  scenes 
and  incidents  described  were  of  personal  knowledge  to 
Mr.  Kinsey  and  are  therefore  authentic. 

In  1827,  the  legislature  of  Pennsylvania  passed  an  act 
for  the  construction  of  a  canal  from  Bristol  to  Easton.  In 
October  of  the  same  year  a  large  number  of  people,  in 
pursuance  of  public  notice  assembled  at  Bristol  to  cele- 
brate the  opening  of  one  of  the  first  canals  constructed  by 
the  state. 

The  day  was  beautiful  and  unusually  warm  for  the  time 
of  year.  At  11  o'clock  some  500  men,  under  the  command 
of  William  F.  Swift,  who  had  been  appointed  marshal  by 
a  meeting  of  the  people  for  the  occasion  marched  to  the 
ground  now  owned  by  the  Dorrance  Brothers,  near  lock 
No.  3.  At  noon  prayer  was  made  by  the  rector  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  after  which  an  address  was 
delivered  by  Peter  E.  Brown,  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Philadelphia  bar.  George  Harrison,  of  Hulmeville, 
and  Peter  Ihire,  of  Easton,  appeared,  one  with  a  wheel- 
barrow and  the  other  with  a  pick  and  shovel.  Ihire  com- 
menced to  dig  a  trench  and  throw  the  dirt  in  the  barrow. 
Harrison  then  wheeled  it  a  short  distance  and  dumped 
it  in  a  heap.    The  marshal  then  made  a  speech  congratu- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


145 


lating  the  citizens  of  the  county  on  the  opening  of  one  of 
the  grandest  enterprises  of  the  age.  The  band  played 
"Hail  Columbia,"  and  the  people  gave  three  cheers  that 
made  the  welkin  ring.  The  procession  re-formed  and 
marched  to  the  Delaware  House,  kept  by  Mr.  Bessonett, 
where  some  200  people  dined  and  made  speeches. 

There  had  been  much  contention  on  the  part  of  the 
people  living  between  Morrisville  and  Bristol  as  to  the 
proper  place  for  the  terminus  of  the  canal.  Those  living 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Tullytown  advocated  Scott's 
Creek,  near  that  town,  as  the  best  place  for  its  connection 
with    the   river.      The   citizens   of   Bristol   contended   for 


PURSELL  S   lock;   DELAWARE  DIVISION,  PA.,  CANAL. 

Bristol  borough.  The  canal  commissioners  held  several 
meetings  to  hear  the  parties.  The  surveyors  of  the  route 
favored  Scott's  Creek  and  it  began  to  look  as  though  that 
would  be  the  place.  The  citizens  of  Bristol  desired  an- 
other hearing,  saying  that  they  wanted  to  present  some 
facts  to  the  board  that  had  not  been  possible  to  get  up 
to  that  time.  The  commissioners  adjourned  to  meet  at 
the  Delaware  House  to  make  final  decision.  The  citi- 
zens   employed    Counselor    Swift    to    appear   before    the 


146  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

board  in  behalf  of  Bristol  as  the  best  point  for  the 
terminus  of  the  canal.  He  employed  two  men  who  fol- 
lowed the  water  to  secretly  make  soundings  of  the  river 
to  ascertain  the  depth  at  both  points.  When  the  board 
met,  the  advocates  for  Tullytown  were  first  heard  in 
favor  of  Scott's  Creek.  Swift  then  addressed  the  board 
in  behalf  of  Bristol.  He  produced  the  men  who  made  the 
soundings  of  the  river.  They  swore  there  was  not  suffi- 
cient depth  of  water  at  Scott's  creek  at  any  time  of  tide 
to  float  vessels  carrying  200  tons,  while  at  Bristol  there 
was  sufficient  to  float  vessels  carrying  500  tons. 

That  settled  the  question.  The  commissioners  de- 
clared in  favor  of  Bristol.  The  advocates  for  Tullytown 
were  dissatisfied.  They  charged  the  people  of  Bristol 
with  acting  unfairly  in  not  informing  them  that  they 
were  going  to  make  soundings  of  the  river  so  that  they 
might  have  been  present  to  see  that  the  depth  of  the 
water  was  properly  taken.  They  claimed  that  it  would 
have  been  a  saving  to  the  state  of  many  thousands  of 
dollars  in  making  Tullytown  the  terminus.  The  expense 
in  excavation  of  four  miles  of  canal  and  the  construction 
of  three  locks  and  six  or  eight  bridges  between  Tullytown 
and  Bristol  might  have  been  saved  to  the  state. 

David  Dorrance  and  Richard  Morris,  citizens  of  Bris- 
tol, contracted  for  the  excavation  of  the  canal,  building 
of  the  locks,  bridges  and  wharfing  from  Bristol  to  Yard- 
leyville.  They  completed  their  contract  in  the  summer 
of  1830  and  the  canal  was  declared  open  from  Bristol  to 
New  Hope. 

A  boat  prepared  for  the  occasion,  containing  a  number 
of  citizens,  drawn  by  four  horses,  made  an  excursion  to 
New  Hope.  There  was  great  rejoicing  on  the  occasion; 
a  public  dinner  at  the  expense  of  the  borough  was  given, 
speeches  were  made,  the  town  house  bell  rung,  and  at 
night  bonfires  lit  up  the  streets. 

The  whole  line  of  the  canal  from  Bristol  to  Easton  was 
completed  in  1832  at  a  cost  of  $1,374,743.  It  is  sixty  miles 
long,  forty  feet  wide  and  has  a  depth  of  water  of  five  feet, 
twenty-four  locks  ninety  feet  long  and  eleven  feet  wide 
with  lifts  from  six  to  eight  feet. 

After  the  completion  of  the  canal  and  commencement 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  I47 

of  shipping  of  coal  to  the  Eastern  states,  business  began 
to  increase.  There  was  a  demand  for  Bristol  property- 
having  a  river  front  and  it  sold  for  good  prices.  Wharves 
were  built  and  depots  were  established  from  the  basin  to 
Walter  Laing's  place  from  which  coal  was  shipped  in 
large  quantities  by  the  Lehigh,  Beaver  Meadow  and 
Hazleton  Coal  Companies,  Downing  &  Wood,  Downer 
and  others,  giving  employment  to  several  hundred  men 
at  good  wages. 

As  many  as  twenty  vessels  would  be  waiting  to  take  on 
cargoes,  some  of  them  of  heavy  tonnage.  The  brig  Eagle 
took  on  450  tons  at  $2.50  per  ton.  Over  250,000  tons  of 
coal  were  shipped  in  one  season.  The  captains  would 
take  in  their  supplies  before  sailing  from  Bristol,  making 
a  lively  trade  for  the  dealers  in  their  line.  An  average  of 
250  horses  a  week  would  be  fed  and  cared  for,  consuming 
large  quantities  of  hay,  oats  and  straw,  making  a  good 
market  for  the  farmers.  Many  men  made  money  and  got 
rich. 

But  there  came  an  end  to  this  prosperous  and  desirable 
state  of  things,  caused  by  two  events :  the  shipping  of  coal 
by  the  Reading  Railroad  Company  from  Philadelphia  and 
the  construction  of  the  outlet  lock  at  New  Hope.  The 
Reading  Company's  shipping  depot  being  twenty  miles 
nearer  the  capes  than  Bristol  had  the  advantage  in  time 
and  distance  in  sending  coal  to  the  eastern  markets.  The 
coal  companies  sending  their  coal  via  the  Lehigh  and 
Delaware  Division  Canals,  in  order  to  compete  with  the 
Reading  petitioned  for  an  outlet  lock  at  New  Hope  to 
enable  them  to  send  their  coal  via  the  Delaware  and  Rari- 
tan  canal  to  Newark,  Perth  Amboy  and  New  York,  from 
which  points  coal  could  be  shipped  east  at  less  rates 
than  from  Bristol. 

The  loss  of  the  coal  trade  was  a  sad  blow  to  Bristol. 
Over  300  persons  left  to  seek  employment  elsewhere.  The 
town  subsided  into  a  state  of  extreme  lethargy.  The  life 
was  completely  taken  out  of  it.  The  old  residents  walked 
through  the  quiet  streets  and  enjoyed  the  balmy  air  of 
summer,  and  sat  around  their  firesides  during  the  fierce 
blasts  of  the  winter  months  and  waited  for  something 
to  turn  up.    They  knew  that  from  its  favorable  situation 


148  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

between  the  largest  cities  of  the  United  States,  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  its  unequalled  facilities  of  transporta- 
tion, its  natural  advantages  of  various  kinds,  that  the  time 
would  come  when  Bristol's  arteries  would  again  pulsate 
with  the  throb  of  business  life. 

In  1858,  by  Act  of  April  21st,  the  State  sold  its  public 
works  to  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  Railroad  Company  for 
$3,500,000.  On  July  loth,  the  same  year  the  Sunbury  & 
Erie  sold  the  Delaware  Division  Canal  to  the  Delaware 
Canal  Company  of  Pennsylvania  for  $1,800,000.  The 
company  issued  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $1,200,000  and 
stock  for  the  same  amount.  In  April,  1866,  the  Canal 
Company  released  the  canal  to  the  Lehigh  Coal  Company 
for  ninety-nine  years  at  a  rental  of  8  per  cent. 

The  Town  Hall. — The  town  hall  has  a  history.  Samuel 
Scotton,  who  retired  from  business  in  Philadelphia  and 
settled  in  Bristol,  built  and  occupied  the  house  now 
owned  by  Fred  Leibfried,  the  last  one  on  the  south  side 
of  Otter  Street.  Friend  Scotton  was  a  genial  old  gentle- 
man, prominent  in  good  works.  In  his  will  he  left  to  the 
burgess  and  council  of  Bristol  the  sum  of  $200,  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  in  purchasing  a  town  clock,  pro- 
vided the  council  built  a  town  hall  within  five  years  after 
the  death  of  his  wife.  She  lived  some  fifteen  years  after 
his  death  and  the  matter  had  been  forgotten  by  Council, 
as  no  record  had  been  kept  of  the  time  of  her  death.  The 
Burgess,  who  was  his  executor,  in  looking  over  some 
borough  papers  in  his  possession,  found  a  copy  of  the 
will.  On  examination  he  discovered  that  to  secure  the 
$200  the  hall  must  be  inclosed  within  five  years  after  the 
death  of  the  widow.  Inquiry  was  made  as  to  the  time  of 
her  death  and  it  was  found  she  had  been  dead  four  years 
and  ten  months.  The  council  was  called  together  and  the 
facts  laid  before  them.  The  burgess  stated  that  the  hall 
must  be  enclosed  on  or  before  the  31st  of  December,  1831, 
to  secure  the  gift.  Council  passed  a  resolution  to  com- 
mence at  once  to  build.  Then  there  arose  the  question 
where  it  should  be  located.  A  good  deal  of  feeling  was 
manifested  on  the  subject.  Some  wanted  it  on  the  bor- 
ough lot,  corner  of  Wood  and  Mulberry  Streets,  others 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


149 


contended  that  it  should  be  built  on  the  market  house 
lot,  corner  Market  and  Wood  Streets,  as  that  was  the 
most  central  part  of  the  borough,  another  party  wanted  it 
located  on  Radcliffe  Street  so  that  persons  passing  up 
and  down  the  river  in  the  steam  boats  could  see  that 
Bristol  had  a  town  hall  and  clock.  Council  referred  the 
matter   of   location   to   a   committee,   which   reported   in 


TOWN   HAI.L. 


favor  of  its  present  site.  Market  Street  not  being  wide 
enough  to  have  a  roadway  on  each  side  of  the  hall,  a 
strip  of  ground  was  purchased  from  Thomas  G.  Kennedy, 
thirteen  feet  wide,  for  $300. 

The    building   was    commenced   about    the    middle   of 
November,  and  on  the  31st  day  of  December,  1831,  it  was 


150  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

roofed  in  just  in  time  to  secure  the  $200.  The  building  of 
the  hall  cost  $2,700.  The  clock  which  was  made  by- 
Isaiah  Lukens,  of  Philadelphia,  cost  $500.  The  bell  cost 
$156;  the  lot,  $300;  incidental  expenses,  $125.  Three 
thousand  seven,  hundred  and  eighty-one  dollars  was  ex- 
pended to  secure  a  gift  of  $200. 

The  First  Railroad. — The  railroad  came  to  Bristol  in 
1834.  The  track  was  made  of  flat  iron  bars  laid  on  North 
Carolina  stringers.  The  first  train  of  cars  run  on  the 
road  was  from  Trenton  to  Bristol,  drawn  by  horses.  It 
ran  down  Market  Street  to  the  wharf,  and  passengers  for 
Philadelphia  were  transferred  to  a  steamboat  and  car- 
ried down  the  river  to  their  destination. 

The  first  locomotive  was  run  on  this  road  in  1834.  One 
of  our  respected  townsmen,  C.  Wesley  Milnor,  who  is 
now  over  70  years  of  age,  says  he  can  clearly  remember 
the  trains  going  and  coming  down  Market  Street  when  he 
was  a  small  boy,  in  1850.  The  boat  would  come  to  Bris- 
tol from  Bordentown  and  wait  at  the  wharf  to  carry  the 
passengers  to  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Milnor  sold  the  Phila- 
delphia newspapers  to  passengers  from  Bordentown  and 
Trenton,  and  some  mornings,  would  sell  from  thirty  to 
fifty  papers,  while  the  passengers  were  being  transferred. 
Although  not  absolutely  certain,  yet  he  thought  there 
were  three  trains  daily,  one  from  Trenton  and  two  from 
New  York.  After  a  time  the  line  was  extended  to 
Tacony,  then  again  to  Kensington  and  finally  to  Broad 
Street. 

The  old  depot  at  the  foot  of  Market  Street  was  used 
during  the  Civil  War  as  a  store  house  for  hay  and  straw, 
wherein  hundreds  of  tons  were  baled  and  shipped  to  the 
front  for  the  army.  The  building  was  later  on 
demolished. 

The  names  of  the  boats  which  performed  daily  trips 
between  Philadelphia  and  Bordentown  in  those  halcyon 
days  were  the  Trenton,  Philadelphia,  John  Stevens, 
Richard  Stockton  and  the  cumbersome  Burlington.  The 
John  Stevens  was  destroyed  by  fire  which  broke  out  at 
midnight  while  she  was  lying  at  her  wharf  at  White  Hall  ; 
the  Trenton  was  converted  into  a  tow  boat ;  the  Stockton 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  151 

was  sent  to  South  Amboy,  where  for  years  it  ran  to  and 
from  New  York  daily,  while  the  long,  awkward  looking 
Burlington  was  transferred  to  Philadelphia,  where  she 
was  used  in  conveying  cars  loaded  with  freight  across 
the  Delaware.  Among  the  captains  were :  Captain  Kes- 
ter,  Captain  Thompson  and  Captain  Stackhouse,  the 
latter  for  many  years  commanded  the  Edwin  Forrest 
which  was  the  only  passenger  boat  which  ran  as  far  up 
the  river  as  Bordentown.  Peter  Bloomsburg  and  Robert 
Allen,  Sr.,  were  two  of  the  old  engineers. 

The  First  Public  School  Board  and  the  First  Pub- 
lic School  House  Erected. — The  first  board  of  school 
directors  elected  under  the  law  of  1834,  was  in 
March,  1835.  The  gentlemen  who  composed  that  board 
were :  Joseph  Warner,  James  Johnson,  William  S.  Per- 
kins, William  F.  Swift,  James  Harrison  and  Gilbert  Tom- 
linson.  The  board  made  arrangements  to  carry  out  the 
objects  of  the  law  by  levying  a  tax  of  $450  and  renting 
rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  the  children.  They  em- 
ployed as  teachers  the  Rev.  Mr.  Canfield,  then  a  student 
for  the  ministry,  and  Mrs.  Deborah  Johnson.  The  schools 
increased  in  numbers  and  it  was  found  necessary,  in 
order  to  accommodate  all  the  children  who  desired  admis- 
sion, to  erect  a  building  for  school  purposes.  This  gave 
rise  to  much  discussion  and  some  opposition  to  the  law, 
the  opponents  contending  that  the  cost  of  building  a  new 
house  would  be  oppressive  to  the  large  property  holders, 
as  it  would  increase  their  taxes  and  afford  them  no  bene- 
fit, for  their  children  were  educated  at  their  own  expense 
and  it  was  not  just  to  tax  them  to  educate  other  men's 
children.  The  friends  of  the  school  system,  after  holding 
a  meeting  on  the  subject,  determined  to  make  the  build- 
ing of  a  new  school  house,  an  issue  before  the  people  at 
the  next  election.  In  March,  1837,  three  new  members 
of  the  board  in  favor  of  building  a  new  school  house  were 
elected.  They  were  Jonathan  Adams,  David  Wooding- 
ton  and  William  Kinsey. 

The  first  minutes  of  the  Bristol  Public  School  Board 
are  dated  March  27,  1837.  The  meeting  was  held  at  the 
home  of  Jonathan  Adams  and  there  were  present,  Gilbert 


152 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


Tomlinson,  David  E.  Woodington,  James  Johnson,  James 
Harrison,  Jonathan  Adams,  William  Kinsey.  The  board 
formally  organized  by  electing  Gilbert  Tomlinson  presi- 
dent, William  Kinsey  secretary  and  James  Johnson 
treasurer.  The  board  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  same 
place  on  April  6,  at  8  P.  M.,  to  take  into  consideration  the 
propriety  of  levying  a  tax  sufficient  to  build  a  new  school 


FIRST  PUBLIC   SCHOOL,  WOOD   STKKK'1\ 


house.  At  the  next  meeting  it  was  decided  that  it  would 
require  the  sum  of  $3,000  to  build  a  school  house  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  children  in  the  borough.  The 
secretary  was  instructed  to  advertise  that  the  question 
of  levying  a  building  tax  of  $3,000  above  the  regular  tax, 
would  be  voted  on  by  the  citizens  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
May,  at  the  town  hall,  between  the  hours  of  2  and  6 
o'clock  P.  M.,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  school  house. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  1 53 

The  count  of  the  ballots  showed  eighty-one  votes  in  favor 
of  an  additional  tax  of  $3,000  for  the  purpose  cited,  and 
twenty-one  votes  against  the  proposition.  The  secretary 
was  accordingly  authorized  to  levy  the  building  tax.  A 
committee  composed  of  William  Kinsey,  James  Johnson 
and  David  E.  Woodington,  was  appointed  to  wait  on  the 
burgess  and  council  of  Bristol  and  request  that  a  part  of 
the  town  lot  at  the  corner  of  Wood  and  Mulberry  Streets, 
be  given  to  the  directors  for  the  purpose  of  building,  a 
school  house  thereon,  and  also  to  procure  a  plan  of  the 
size  and  style  of  the  new  building.  The  burgess  and 
council  agreed  to  lease  unto  the  board  of  directors  and 
their  successors  in  office,  a  part  of  the  borough  lot  front- 
ing on  Wood  Street,  commencing  at  the  corner  of  the 
Methodist  graveyard  and  extending  fifty-nine  feet 
towards  Mulberry  Street,  and  no  feet  deep,  for  a  period 
of  ninety-nine  years,  by  paying  a  yearly  rent  of  $1.  The 
committee  recommended  that  the  school  house  be  built  of 
brick,  three  stories  high,  thirty-five  feet  front  and  fifty 
feet  deep,  which  plan  was  adopted  and  the  secretary  was 
instructed  to  ask  for  bids  for  the  construction  of  the 
building.  Twenty-five  sealed  proposals  were  received 
and  the  contracts  awarded  as  follows : 

John  Bessonett  to  furnish  the  stone. 

William  S.  Emley  to  furnish  the  bricks. 

Dorrance  &  Warner  to  furnish  the  lumber. 

William  Lazilere  to  build  the  stone  walls  and  plaster 
the  house. 

Jackson  Gilkeson  to  lay  the  bricks. 

Gilbert  Tomlinson  to  do  the  carpenter  work. 

William  Kellingsworth  to  do  the  painting  and  glazing. 

Lewis  P.  Kinsey  &  Son  to  do  the  smithing. 

William  Kinsey,  James  Johnson  and  David  E.  Wood- 
ington were  appointed  a  building  committee  to  have  gen- 
eral supervision  of  the  work. 

The  borough  council  informed  the  board  that  it  had 
enacted  an  ordinance  providing  for  a  loan  of  $5,000, 
on  the  credit  of  the  corporation,  out  of  which  they  would 
agree  to  appropriate  the  sum  of  $3,000,  for  the  purpose  of 
building  a  new  school  house,  providing  the  board  of 
school  directors  would  receive  it  in  lieu  of  the  additional 


154  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

tax  voted  for  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  May.  The  board 
agreed  to  accept  the  appropriation  on  the  terms  specified 
and  instructed  the  secretary  not  to  levy  the  tax.  The 
school  building  was  completed  and  the  first  session  held 
on  the  second  Monday  in  December,  1837,  at  which  time 
there  was  an  enrollment  of  ninety-five  boys  and  ninety 
girls.  In  the  following  two  weeks  the  number  was  in- 
creased to  126  males  and  120  females.  Classes  were 
started  in  English  grammar,  geography,  history,  arith- 
metic, expositor,  writing,  spelling,  reading  and  weighing. 
The  school  books  were  purchased  by  the  board  and  sold 
to  the  scholars.  James  Anderson  was  employed  as 
teacher  of  the  male  department  at  a  salary  of  $65  a 
month,  and  Annie  N.  Smith  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
female  department,  her  salary  being  fixed  at  $30  per 
month.  The  total  cost  of  the  school  house  was  $4,936.88. 
At  the  request  of  the  school  board  the  borough  council 
made  an  extra  appropriation  of  $1,938.88,  which  covered 
the  additional  cost  of  the  building  above  the  amount 
previously  appropriated.  The  primary  school  was  not 
opened  until  November  4,  1839,  when  Miss  Nancy  Cum- 
mings  was  placed  in  charge.  The  names  of  the  teachers 
who  taught  in  this  building  down  to  1853,  when  the  in- 
creasing population  made  necessary  the  erection  of  the 
Otter  Street  public  school  building,  are  as  follows : 

Male  Department. — James  Anderson  remained  until 
March  i,  1840,  when  schools  were  closed  for  want  of 
funds. 

The  schools  reopened  in  May  with  N.  F.  De  Brown  as 
teacher. 

July  30,  1841,  J.  V.  Buckman  was  selected  and  was 
still  in  office  when  the  new  building  was  erected. 

In  August,  1851,  Miss  S.  J.  Thompson  was  selected  as 
an  assistant  to  Mr.  Brown. 

In  February,  1852,  Miss  Elizabeth  Burrows  was  elected 
to  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  Miss 
Thompson. 

In  April,  1853,  Miss  Burrows  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  principal  of  the  Female  Department,  and  Miss 
Sarah  T.  Brown  elected  to  the  vacancy. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  155 

Female  Department — Miss  Annie  N.  Smith  remained 
until  November,  1838,  when  she  resigned  and  Miss 
Fidelia  Smith  was  elected. 

Miss  Fidelia  remained  until  the  school  closed  in  March, 
1839,  for  want  of  funds. 

On  the  reopening  of  the  school,  in  May,  1839,  it  was 
placed  in  charge  of  Miss  Harriet  Schneider.  She  re- 
signed in  July,  1840,  and  Miss  Alice  Frame  was  elected 
as  her  successor. 

Miss  Alice  resigned  in  April,  1841,  and  Miss  Mahitable 
P.  Moody  succeeded  her  for  a  short  time,  when  she  was 
succeeded  by  Miss  Sarah  Pearson,  who  was  employed  in 
January,  1843, 

Miss  Pearson  resigned  in  October,  1845,  ^^<i  Miss  Hul- 
dah  Hoag  was  elected  to  the  vacancy. 

In  May,  1848,  Miss  Sarah  Warner  was  elected  to  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Miss  Hoag. 

Aliss  Warner  resigned  in  185 1,  and  Miss  M.  L.  Ernest 
became  the  principal,  and  Miss  Matilda  Goodwin  her 
assistant. 

Miss  Goodwin  resigned  in  1852,  and  Miss  Anna  V. 
Thompson  succeeded  her. 

In  April,  1853,  the  principal  (Miss  Lawrence)  resigned 
her  position  and  Miss  E.  Burrows  succeeded  her.  Miss 
Thompson  resigned  immediately  afterward  and  Miss 
Anna  Davis  was  elected  to  the  vacancy. 

Primary  Department. — Miss  Nancy  Cummings  re- 
mained until  March,  1840,  when  the  school  was  closed  for 
want  of  funds.  It  reopened  in  May,  under  the  control  of 
Miss  Adeline  Cummings. 

Miss  Adeline  resigned  in  October,  1840,  and  Miss 
Melissa  Young  was  employed. 

]\Iiss  Young  resigned  in  September,  1841,  and  Mrs. 
Sarah  Swift  was  elected  to  the  vacancy. 

In  August,  1842,  Miss  S.  Townsend  was  employed  to 
assist  her.  In  May,  1843,  ^^^s.  Swift  and  Miss  Hastings 
were  jointly  employed.  In  December  Miss  Hastings  was 
made  principal  of  the  school. 

In  December,  1844,  Miss  Hastings  resigned  and  was 
succeeded  by  Miss  Roxanna  Leonard,  who  resigned  in 
II 


156  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

October,  1845,  when  Mrs.  Swift  was  made  principal  and 
her  daughter  Matilda  the  assistant. 

In  August,  1875,  a  frame  addition,  18^  feet  by  24  feet, 
was  built  to  this  school  house.  The  contract  was  award- 
ed to  Edmund  Lawrence  for  $325.  An  intermediate 
school  was  opened  in  the  new  addition  in  September, 
1875,  with  Emily  H.  Stackhouse  as  teacher.  This  addi- 
tion was  removed  after  the  erection  of  the  high  school 
building  in  1894.  Since  the  completion  of  the  new  Jeffer- 
son Avenue  building  in  1908,  this  old  building  has  been 
unoccupied.  With  the  expansion  of  the  commercial  de- 
partment, it  is  probable  that  some  day  the  upper  story 
will  be  used  for  a  Commercial  High  School. 

Colored  Children's  Right  to  Attend  the  Public  Schools 
Questioned  by  Townspeople. — In  November,  1837,  the 
townspeople  were  greatly  excited  over  the  action  of  the 
public  school  board,  in  granting  permission  to  four  col- 
ored boys  who  were  boarding  with  Joseph  Warner,  to 
attend  the  public  schools  by  the  payment  of  $3  per  month 
for  each  boy  as  tuition  expenses.  A  public  meeting  of  the 
citizens  was  held  and  resolutions  adopted,  which  pro- 
tested strongly  against  the  admission  of  the  colored  boys. 
At  the  following  meeting,  the  action  of  the  town  meeting 
was  laid  before  the  board,  at  which  time  a  petition  con- 
taining the  signatures  of  fifty-four  citizens,  and  request- 
ing that  the  four  colored  boys  be  allowed  to  remain  in 
the  schools,  was  also  read.  The  board  laid  the  matter  on 
the  table  and  directed  the  secretary  to  lay  the  case  before 
the  superintendent  and  request  his  opinion.  At  the  meet- 
ing on  March  20,  1838,  the  superintendent  gave  his 
opinion  in  favor  of  the  boys  having  the  right  to  be  admit- 
ted to  the  common  schools,  and  the  board  sustained  him 
in  his  decision. 

At  the  meeting  of  August  27,  1842,  it  was  reported  to 
the  board,  that  much  opposition  was  made  by  the  citi- 
zens of  the  town,  to  the  right  of  two  colored  boys,  board- 
ing with  Joseph  Warner,  to  the  benefits  of  the  common 
school  law.  The  board  took  the  matter  under  considera- 
tion and  after  examining  the  school  law  they  promptly 
decided  that  the  colored  boys  were  not  entitled  to  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


157 


benefits  of  the  common  schools  of  the  borough,  they  hav- 
ing been  sent  into  the  district  for  a  special  purpose, 
money  having  been  willed  to  them  by  their  father,  for 
the  purpose  of  acquiring  an  education  and  learning  a 
trade.  The  secretary  was  instructed  to  inform  Joseph 
Warner,  that  the  two  colored  boys  boarding  with  him, 
could  not  be  continued  in  the  schools  any  longer  as  free 
scholars.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  one  of  the  earliest 
questions  with  which  the  public  school  board  was  obliged 
to  wrestle  was  incited  by  prejudice  against  the  colored 
race. 

St.  Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church. — In  1840  the 
Catholic  population  of  Bristol  was  so  small  that  its  spirit- 
ual wants  were  attended  to  by  a  clergyman  from  Trenton, 


the:  ORTGINAI,  ST.   MARK  S  R.  C.  CHURCH  AND  RECTORY. 


Father  Mackin,  who  visited  Bristol  twice  a  month  for 
that  purpose,  services  being  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Brady,  in  Adam's  Hollow,  just  beyond  the  creek  which 
bounds  the  borough  on  the  northeast. 

The  Catholics  so  rapidly  increased  that  in  1845  it  be- 
came necessary  to  have  a  resident  pastor  in  Bristol,  and 


158  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

with  the  approbation  of  the  church  authorities  it  was  de- 
cided to  build  a  church  and  pastoral  residence.  Accord- 
ingly, a  lot  was  purchased  on  Radcliffe  Street,  near  the 
creek  above  mentioned,  the  site  being  convenient  to  the 
Hollow,  where  the  larger  number  of  the  Catholics  re- 
sided. Work  on  the  church  was  commenced  some  time  in 
1845.  It  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  the  following 
year,  an  unpretentious  square  building  of  stone  and  with 
sacristy  attached. 

About  the  same  time  the  house  for  the  pastor  was  built, 
Bristol  became  a  regular  parish,  and  the  Rev.  Father 
Flanagan  was  appointed  its  first  pastor.  In  the  course  of 
four  or  five  years  an  addition  had  to  be  built  to  accom- 
modate the  rapidly  increasing  congregation.  In  1868, 
Father  Flanagan,  thinking  it  »would  benefit  his  health, 
which  was  poor,  took  a  trip  to  Ireland,  where  he  died 
soon  after  his  arrival.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  following 
order  by  the  Rev.  Fathers  Quinn,  Keen,  Russell,  Nugent, 
Kelly,  Brennan,  McSwiggin. 

Up  to  this  time  no  incident  occurred  in  the  affairs  of  the 
church.  Everything  went  along  smoothly  until  the  night 
of  November  9,  1867,  when  the  church  was  totally 
destroyed  by  fire.  Father  Cullin  (who  succeeded  McSwig- 
gin), being  pastor  at  the  time.  Father  Cullin  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Father  Prendergast,  who  is  now  co- 
adjutor Bishop  of  Philadelphia.  He  wasted  no  time  but 
immediately  went  to  work  with  such  vigor  and  zeal  that 
the  interior  of  the  present  handsome  church  was  com- 
pleted within  a  year. 

The  corner  stone  was  laid  in  1868  and  the  new  church 
was  dedicated  in  the  following  year.  In  the  interim  from 
the  time  the  old  church  was  burned,  the  Catholics  having 
no  place  of  worship,  was  tendered  the  use  of  Washington 
Hall,  corner  Radclifife  and  Walnut  Streets,  where  they 
worshipped  until  the  new  church  Avas  ready.  In  1871 
Father  Prendergast  went  from  Bristol  to  Allentown  and 
the  Rev.  Father  Lynch  took  charge  of  the  parish. 

There  was  much  work  yet  to  be  done  in  the  interior  of 
the  church,  pews  and  other  fixtures ;  besides  the  old  resi- 
dence was  in  a  very  delapidated  condition  totally  unfit 
for  use.    So  Father  Lynch  had  the  old  house  taken  down 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


159 


and  in  its  place  built  a  handsome  brick  dwelling.  These 
additions  and  improvements  created  a  considerable  debt. 
Father  Lynch  died  in  Bristol  on  the  28th  of  April,  1879, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Father  Ward. 

During  Father  Ward's  pastorate  the  church  was  great- 
ly improved,  the  sidewalls  were  extended  to  a  line  even 
with  the  tower,  finished  at  the  ends  with  circular  wings, 
which  greatly  improved  the  appearance  of  the  church  in 
front;  also  Avas  built  a  new  sacristy,  the  interior  was 
painted  and  frescoed,  and  a  new  organ  put  in  position. 

Unfortunately  it  was  again  visited  by  fire,  though  very 
little  damage  was  done  the  building  but  all  the  decora- 


ST.    MARK  S    R.    C.    CHURCH    AND    RECTORY. 


tions,  the  altar  and  organ  were  ruined,  all  of  which  had 
to  be  replaced.  Notwithstanding  these  losses  and  diffi- 
culties. Father  Ward,  with  commendable  courage  and 
energy,  not  only  repaired  the  damage  done  by  the  fire, 
but  concluded  to  build  a  parochial  school  for  the  children 
of  the  parish.  For  this  purpose  he  purchased  a  lot  about 
midway  on  Radcliflfe  Street.  A  handsome  building  was 
erected  and  is  now  under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  the 


I^  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Immaculate  Heart,  who  impart  religious  and  secular  in- 
struction to  over  200  children. 

Father  Vandegrift  took  charge  of  the  parish  in  the  fall 
of  1889.  His  pastorate  may  well  be  considered  the 
brightest  and  most  successful  period  in  the  history  of  the 
church.  He  found  the  parish  almost  hopelessly  involved 
in  debt  and  a  congregation  comparatively  poor.  The 
prospect  was  anything  but  cheering. 

Being  endowed  with  splendid  abilities  which  he  entire- 
ly devoted  to  his  work,  he  soon  had  everything  in  order 
and  the  prospect  became  brighter  and  brighter  as  time 
went.  He  beautified  the  interior  of  the  church,  had  it 
newly  frescoed,  put  in  a  very  costly  altar  rail,  and  a  set 
of  imported  Stations  of  the  Cross.  He  also  purchased 
a  lot  in  a  very  convenient  location  for  a  cemetery  at  a 
cost  of  $3,000,  in  all  of  which  he  was  ably  seconded  by 
his  assistant,  the  Rev.  Father  Meagher. 

In  June,  1895,  much  to  the  regret  of  his  parishioners, 
he  went  to  Philadelphia  to  take  charge  of  St.  Edward's, 
taking  with  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  entire  com- 
munity, and  had  the  satisfaction  of  surrendering  free  of 
all  encumbrances,  the  parish  with  all  its  improvements 
to  his  successor,  the  Rev.  Hugh  Garvey,  who  upon  the 
latter's  death  was  succeeded  by  the  late  lamented  Rev.  M. 
A.  Bunce,  during  whose  regime  the  parochial  school,  at 
considerable  expense  was  enlarged  and  many  improve- 
ments made. 

The  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  M.  A.  Bradley,  succeeded 
Father  Bunce.  Father  Bradley  has  been  with  us  but  a 
short  time  but  has  already  won  the  hearts  of  his  people. 
(Bucks  County  Gazette.) 

Note. — Although  Father  Bradley  has  been  in  Bristol  less  than 
two  years,  yet  he  has  displayed  unusual  energy.  Through  his 
efforts  new  pews  have  been  installed  in  the  church,  the  ekctric 
light  system  has  been  renewed,  and  the  main  and  side  altars, 
as  well  as  the  "Stations  of  the  Cross,"  and  all  other  statues 
have  been  repainted.  A  new  concrete  pavement  has  been  laid 
in  front  and  in  the  yard  of  the  Parochial  School,  and  a  new 
iron  fence  erected  across  the  front  of  the  two  side  yards. 
Father  Bradley's  geniality  and  affability  have  made  him  popular 
outside  of  his  church  circle. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  l6l 

Presbyterian  Church. — In  1843  the  Presbyterians  in 
Bristol  were  exceedingly  few,  and  in  the  surrounding 
country  there  was  only  here  and  there  an  individual  by 
birth  or  education  attached  to  the  Presbyterian  com- 
munion. Under  these  circumstances  the  beginning  of  the 
church  was  made.  The  Rev.  James  M.  Harlow  was  then 
residing  at  Newportville,  and  was  pastor  of  the  historic 
congregation  of  Bensalem,  and  stated  supply  at  Centre- 
ville,  now  Emilie.  To  this  gentleman  this  church  owes 
its  inception  and  to  his  self-denying  labors  it  is  that  the 
enterprise  did  not  perish  at  its  birth.  Mr.  Harlow  began 
to  preach  in  Bristol  in  the  Lyceum  building,  where  the 
postoffice  now  stands,  on  the  evening  of  July  2,  1843. 
After  four  services,  on  as  many  Sabbaths,  a  Sabbath 
School  was  organized,  with  fourteen  scholars  and  four 
teachers.  It  grew  apace,  and  at  the  end  of  four  years  was 
second  in  number  and  efficiency  to  no  school  in  Bristol. 
The  Sabbath  School  and  preaching  were  continued  in  the 
Lyceum  building  until  the  basement  of  the  church  was 
finished.  The  lot  on  which  the  church  stands  was  bought 
at  sheriff's  sale  on  December  21,  1843,  ^O'*  $1,250,  for  all 
of  which,  excepting  $50,  a  mortgage  was  given  to  the  late 
John  Paul,  Sr.  The  frame  building  on  the  rear  of  the  lot 
was  occupied  by  Mr.  Harlow  and  his  family  in  the  spring 
of  1844.  Now  began  the  serious  time.  In  recalling  this 
time  Mr.  Harlow  wrote :  ''Things  looked  dark  except  to 
the  eye  of  faith,  and  continued  so  for  most  of  the  four 
years  following.  I  was  almost  penniless  myself,  and  with 
little  personal  influence,  while  all  around  me  regarded  the 
whole  scheme  as  Utopian,  not  possible  of  success,  not  one 
on  which  to  risk  either  reputation  or  money."  Neverthe- 
less, he  persevered,  and  God  encouraged  him  by  raising 
up  for  him  friends  who  were  able  and  willing  to  aid  him 
in  accomplishing  his  heart's  desire.  The  subscriptions  he 
obtained  represented  many  places  and  many  names, 
among  which  Burlington  and  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Court- 
landt  Van  Rensselaer  are  very  prominent.  Without  the 
sympathy  and  liberal  gifts  of  this  princely  man  it  does  not 
seem  that  the  building  could  have  been  erected.  He  gave 
his  money,  again  and  again ;  he  loaned  his  money,  and 
when  the  debt  fell  due  he  forgave  the  debt.     He  came 


l62  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

often  to  preach,  sometimes  crossing  the  river  on  the  ice, 
and  was  always  ready  to  do  what  he  could  to  cheer  and 
encourage  the  heart  of  his  brave  friend  and  brother,  Mr. 
Harlow.  Many  other  substantial  contributions  were  re- 
ceived from  out  of  town  friends  and  the  subscription  list 
shows  how  much  he  commended  himself  by  his  self- 
sacrificing  spirit  in  the  community,  for  there  is  hardly  a 
name  of  man  or  woman  who  had  a  dollar  to  spare,  which 
does  not  appear  upon  the  list.  Friends,  Episcopalians 
and  Methodists,  all  alike,  seemed  to  want  a  share  in  the 
work  this  good  man  was  doing.  But  mere  gathering  of 
money  was  but  a  part  of  the  service  which  Mr.  Harlow 
rendered.  What  besides  he  did  is  best  given  in  his  own 
words :  ''In  the  spring  of  1846  I  dug  out  the  foundations 
and  filled  the  trenches  with  boulders  obtained  from  ves- 
sels which  came  from  the  East  for  coal.  The  boulders 
came  in  ballast  to  Bristol,  and  as  they  were  not  allowed 
to  throw  them  overboard,  I  engaged  to  take  them  from  the 
wharf,  and  did  so,  filling  in  the  ditches  as  I  hauled  them 
up  with  my  own  horse.  Next  was  fifty  tons  of  quarried 
stone  from  Yardleyville  by  canal,  to  complete  the  stone 
wall  to  the  water  table,  then  followed  10,800  bricks  from 
Bordentown,  N.  J.,  which  were  laid  in  the  wall  at  $2  per 
thousand ;  next  the  heavy  lumber  from  Burlington,  rafted 
over  to  Bristol  by  favorable  flood  tides,  and  so  on  for  the 
rest  of  the  materials  until  all  was  on  the  ground  and  put 
into  the  building  in  the  required  order  until  the  structure 
was  completed."  He  adds  quaintly:  "It  would  be  decid- 
edly personal  to  tell  you  who  did  all  this  with  the  aid  of 
one  little  horse ;  out  of  that  horse  I  got  practical  sym- 
pathy." The  property  having  been  purchased  by  Mr. 
Harlow  in  his  own  name,  was  held  by  him  until  January, 
1846,  when  it  was  conveyed  by  him  to  trustees.  Who 
these  trustees  were  is  not  now  known.  (The  Board  of 
Trustees  were  not  a  corporate  body  until  February, 
185 1.)  On  May  15,  1847,  the  trustees,  whoever  they  were, 
conveyed  back  to  Mr.  Harlow  the  dwelling  and  all  the 
lot  excepting  that  on  which  the  church  building  stands, 
and  six  feet  each  side  of  it.  Mr.  Harlow  continued  to 
supply  the  pulpit  statedly  (he  was  never  pastor  of  the 
church),  until  the  autumn  of  1850,  when  he  removed  to 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  163 

East  Aurora,  Erie  County,  N.  Y.  About  a  year  after  his 
removal  he  conveyed  to  the  trustees  the  dweUing  in  the 
rear  of  the  church  building,  with  the  remainder  of  the  lot, 
receiving  therefor  the  consideration  of  $400.  Thus  the 
church  became  possessed  of  the  property.  Although  not 
definitely  known,  the  church  was  probably  organized  by 
Mr.  Harlow  himself,  with  the  assistance  of  his  Burling- 
ton friends,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Van  Rensselaer  and  Chester. 
It  was,  however,  recognized  and  received  under  the  care 
of  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  (O.  S.),  in 
session  in  Germantown,  on  April  22,  1846.  Fourteen  per- 
sons composed  the  original  membership,  of  whom  the 
last  survivor  was  Mrs.  Charles  W.  Pierce,  then  Miss 
Mary  Vanuxem. 

From  the  time  of  the  organization  till  the  departure  of 
Mr.  Harlow,  thirty-two  persons  were  received  into  the 
communion  of  the  church;  by  certificate  from  other 
churches,  twenty-three,  and  nine  by  profession  of  their 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Very  little  was  con- 
tributed for  benevolent  causes.  The  people  were  few, 
and  far  from  rich  in  this  world's  goods,  and  all  they  could 
do  was  necessarily  devoted  very  largely  to  the  mainten- 
ance of  their  own  church.  In  185 1,  the  year  of  Mr.  Har- 
low's departure,  the  church  and  congregation  consisted  of 
tAventy-eight  members  and  twenty-three  families.  It  is 
evident  that  Mr.  Harlow  was  a  very  Paul,  coveting  no 
man's  silver  or  gold  or  apparel,  his  own  hands  minister- 
ing to  his  necessities.  He  engaged  in  teaching,  and  from 
this  source  derived  his  support.  The  encomium  passed 
on  him  by  Dr.  Charles  Hodge  was  well  deserved :  "I 
know  no  man  in  all  our  church  who  has  evinced  greater 
energy,  perseverance  and  self-denial  in  the  prosecution 
of  his  work.  He  has  labored  almost  for  nothing,  doing 
the  work  not  only  of  a  minister,  but  of  a  day  laborer,  de- 
voting without  stint  time,  strength  and  money  to  the 
cause."  Mr.  Harlow  left  Bristol  in  185 1  and  was  after- 
wards stated  supply  at  Aurora,  Moscow,  Bath,  Tuscarora, 
Union  Corners  and  Phelps,  N.  Y.,  and  pastor  at  Shorts- 
ville,  1870-72,  when  he  was  honorably  retired.  He  died 
in  Shortsville,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  December  13,  1894, 
in  the  eighty-seventh  year  of  his  age.    The  Presbytery  of 


164  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Geneva,  in  session  in  Geneva,  April  16,  1895,  took  action 
as  to  his  character  and  worth,  in  v^rhich  it  said :  "As  a 
preacher  Mr.  Harlow  was  talented,  sympathetic,  logical, 
persuasive.  He  was  a  tireless  worker,  a  thorough 
student,  a  faithful,  public  spirited  citizen.  In  the  church 
and  prayer  meeting  his  presence  was  a  delight."  So 
passed  into  the  better  land  the  founder  and  father  of  this 
church.  His  name  is  precious.  His  works  do  follow  him. 
He  builded  better  than  he  knew. 

After  his  retirement,  the  church  was  vacant  till  May, 
1851,  when  the  Rev.  Franklin  D.  Harris  was  installed  as 
its  first  pastor.  Mr.  Harris  was  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  in  1837,  and  from  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Andover,  Mass.,  in  1840.  After  missionary 
service  in  Central  Pennsylvania  he  came  to  Bristol.  He 
remained  ten  years  and  seven  months,  with  a  large 
measure  of  success.  His  continuance  in  this  pulpit  for 
so  long  a  time  was  a  great  blessing  to  his  people  and  to 
the  community  as  well.  During  his  pastorate,  ninety-two 
additions  were  made  to  the  membership  of  the  church, 
thirty-eight  by  certificate  and  fifty-four  by  examination. 
Nearly  $9,000  were  given,  so  that  at  the  time  of  his  re- 
tirement he  left  the  congregation  in  its  spiritual  and 
temporal  condition  very  greatly  strengthened.  On  De- 
cember 10,  1861,  his  relations  with  the  Bristol  church 
were  dissolved  by  Presbytery,  he  having  accepted  a  call 
to  the  church  at  Port  Byron,  N.  Y.  He  died  in  Philadel- 
phia on  February  23,  1892,  at  the  age  of  82  years. 

Mr.  Harris  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  the  Rev. 
Alfred  Taylor,  who  was  installed  July  31,  1862.  His  pas- 
torate lasted  till  March  9,  1865.  His  specialty  was  Sab- 
bath School  work.  He  died  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  March 
31,  1889,  in  the  fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  The  pastor- 
ate of  Mr.  Taylor  was  conspicuous  as  the  time  during 
which  the  congregation  made  generous  provision  for  the 
comfort  of  their  minister  by  the  purchase  of  an  excellent 
manse. 

At  a  meeting  of  Presbytery  at  Newtown,  October  3, 
1865,  a  call  for  his  pastoral  services  was  presented  to  the 
Rev.  Henry  F.  Lee.  This  call  Mr.  Lee  accepted,  and  he 
was    installed   pastor   on    November   7,    1865.      He   was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  165 

pastor  less  than  two  years,  and  the  additions  to  the 
church  roll  were  by  certificate,  thirty,  and  by  examination 
thirty-six.  His  stay  was  short  but  full  of  blessing  to  the 
church. 

The  Rev.  Jacob  Weidman  succeeded  Mr.  Lee, 
having  been  installed  pastor  in  November,  1867. 
This  relation  continued  until  June  i,  1873,  a  period  of  five 
and  one-half  years.  During  his  pastorate  the  church  edi- 
fice was  enlarged.  The  amount  expended  by  the  trus- 
tees was  $3,215.79.  In  1869,  Mr.  Peter  E.  Hope  was  re- 
ceived into  the  membership  of  the  church  and  in  June, 
1870,  was  ordained  and  installed  elder  of  the  church,  be- 
ing the  first  since  1868.  Business  interest  caused  his 
removal  from  the  town.  He  was  a  most  acceptable  man 
in  office,  intelligent,  useful  and  efficient  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties.  The  church  sustained  a  heavy  loss  in  his 
removal. 

On  October  30,  1873,  the  Rev.  James  H.  Mason  Knox, 
D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  installed  pastor.  His  ministry  con- 
tinued a  little  more  than  ten  years.  They  were  happy 
years,  in  which  the  pastor  and  his  people  dwelt  together 
in  delightful  unison.  Just  before  the  close  of  his  ministry 
the  interior  of  the  church  building  was  improved  by 
painting  and  frescoing,  and  the  gallery  was  lowered  to 
admit  of  placing  in  proper  position  the  organ,  which  had 
been  purchased  and  which  has  since  guided  and  helped 
the  service  of  song  in  the  congregation.  In  December, 
1883,  the  relation  which  had  so  happily  subsisted  for 
more  than  ten  years  was  dissolved  by  Presbytery,  and  the 
pastor  was  for  nearly  seven  years  thereafter  president  of 
Lafayette  College,  when  after  forty-five  years  of  service, 
he  retired  from  official  duties. 

The  call  of  the  church  to  the  Rev.  Edward  P.  Shields, 
then  of  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  was  placed  in  his  hands  by  Pres- 
bytery in  April,  1884,  and  accepted  by  him.  He  came  to 
Bristol  in  the  fullness  of  his  strength,  physical  and  intel- 
lectual, and  here  he  remained  until  1898.  No  man  in  the 
Presbytery  was  held  in  higher  esteem  by  his  brethren. 
During  his  pastorate,  the  membership  of  the  church  and 
Sabbath  School  were  both  greatly  increased. 

Dr.  Shields  was  succeeded  in  1898  by  the  Rev.  Alexan- 


l66  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

der  Allison,  D.  D.  Dr.  Allison  was  an  eloquent  speaker 
with  a  pleasing  and  affable  personality.  He  was  par- 
ticularly aggressive  in  the  temperance  cause.  During  the 
second  year  of  his  pastorate,  the  handsome  chapel  in 
which  the  congregation  now  worships,  was  erected.  He 
severed  his  relations  with  the  church  in  1903,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Charles  E.  Burns,  D.  D.,  who  is 
the  present  incumbent.  Under  the  pastorate  of  Dr. 
Burns,  the  church  is  vigorous  and  has  maintained  a 
healthy  growth.  (From  a  history  of  the  church  written  by 
Dr.  J.  H.  Mason  Knox). 

Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church.— Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  was 
»  organized  in  the  early  forties  of  the  last  century.  As 
early  as  1843  this  congregation  was  worshipping  in  an 
old  building  which  stood  at  the  foot  of  Wood  Street, 
along  the  canal  basin.  Meetings  were  later  held  in  a 
dwelling  occupied  by  Lucy  Harris,  on  Wood  Street,  be- 
tween Mill  Street  and  the  canal  basin.  Prior  to  the 
institution  of  this  church,  the  few  colored  people  in 
Bristol  worshipped  with  their  white  neighbors  in  the 
established  churches,  and  even  after  the  African  branch 
of  the  Methodist  Church  was  organized,  several  of  the 
colored  people  refused  to  sever  their  relations  with  the 
white  congregation,  and  remained  regular  in  their  at- 
tendance until  their  deaths.  Among  the  earliest  mem- 
bers of  the  African  Church  in  Bristol  were  Henry  Wil- 
liams and  wife,  Deborah ;  Henry  Blake  and  wife, 
Amanda;  Patience  Currier,  Theodorea  Freeman  and  wife, 
Eliza;  Mary  Schenk,  James  Jordon,  Ellen  Julius,  Peter 
Julius,  Rebecca  Price,  Uriah  Jones,  Elizabeth  Cummings, 
Anna  Smith,  Martha  Freeman,  Ellen  Montgomery. 

After  a  number  of  years  the  congregation  had  in- 
creased to  such  an  extent  that  a  commodious  place  in 
which  to  worship  became  a  necessity.  The  little  frame 
church  on  Pond  Street,  above  Walnut,  now  Ardrey's 
machine  shop,  was  accordingly  purchased  and  occupied. 
Brighter  days  followed  and  although  the  little  flock  has 
since  bore  its  share  of  burdens  and  passed  through  many 
trying  conflicts,  yet  the  days  spent  in  the  old  church  on 
Pond  Street  will  always  be  treasured  in  the  memory  as 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  167 

among  the  happiest  in  the  church's  history.  Later  the 
old  church  building  was  sold  and  the  present  edifice  on 
Wood  Street  purchased. 

Several  of  the  members  of  this  church  have  occupied 
prominent  positions  in  the  church  connection.  Miss 
Rachel  Smith  became  the  wife  of  Bishop  T.  M.  D.  Ward. 
Miss  Martha  De  Witt  became  the  wife  of  Bishop  H.  M. 
Turner.  The  Rev.  Jas.  H.  Morgan  went  into  the  min- 
istry from  the  Bristol  Church,  and  for  twenty  years  was 
secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  African  Methodist  Confer- 
ence He  also  wrote  and  published  a  history  of  the 
conference. 

Silk  Worm  Industry. — In  1844  there  was  in  existence 
in  Bristol,  an  industry  for  the  propogation  of  the  silk 
worm  and  production  of  the  silk  worm  cocoon.  The 
building  occupied  was  situated  along  the  river. in  the 
rear  of  the  Wildman  residence,  at  the  intersection  of 
Radclifife  and  Washington  Streets,  and  three  stories  in 
height.  Mulberry  leaves  were  fed  to  the  silk  worms  and 
in  order  to  supply  this  food,  a  grove  of  mulberry  trees 
was  planted,  which  extended  from  a  point  where  the 
Colonial  Theatre  now  stands,  west,  as  far  as  Pond  Street, 
and  north  almost  to  Jefferson  Aevnue.  William  Booz,  of 
Cedar  Street,  to  whom  the  author  is  indebted  for  this 
article,  was  employed  in  this  industry  when  a  boy.  His 
duties  were  to  gather  the  mulberry  leaves  from  the  trees 
in  the  grove  and  feed  them  to  the  silk  worms.  The  in- 
dustry was  the  result  of  a  craze  which  swept  over  the 
country  at  that  time,  when  everybody  expected  to  get 
rich  raising  silk  worms.  In  a  few  years,  when  the  craze 
subsided,  the  business  was  suspended,  but  the  old  build- 
ing stood  for  several  years,  when  it  was  removed. 

History  of  the  First  Baptist  Church.— In  1838,  the  Bap- 
tist Association  of  Philadelphia,  which  owned  a  lot  on 
Otter  Street,  where  Mohican  Hall  now  stands,  author- 
ized a  committee  to  transfer  the  same  to  a  church  which 
might  be  formed  in  Bristol,  which  held  the  doctrines  of 
their  confession  of  faith.  In  1840,  the  president  of  the 
board,  the  Rev.  Jones,  was  authorized  to  transfer  the  lot 
to  the  Baptist  brethren  and  followers  of  the  cause  at 


i68 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


Bristol,  for  their  sole  use,  benefit  and  disposal.  Six  years 
passed,  during  which  it  appears  that  all  efforts  to  estab- 
lish a  church  were  unavailing.  In  1846  the  records  show 
that  a  Brother  Dooge  had  an  interview  with  a  Brother 
Corson,   of  near  Bristol,  who  had   informed  him   there 


FIRST    BAPTIST    CilURCH. 


were  several  members  of  the  Baptist  faith  in  Bristol  and 
expressed  a  wish  to  build  a  meeting  house,  and  requested 
the  association  to  grant  them  a  title  to  the  lot,  then 
known  as  the  Baptist  lot.  Two  years  afterward,  on  the 
29th  day  of  September,  1848,  the  council  of  ministers  in 
regular  session  at  Philadelphia,  officially  recognized  and 
regularly  constituted  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Bristol. 
In  1849,  the  Rev.  Jones  reported  that  the  church  at  Bris- 
tol was  not  incorporated,  and  it  was  resolved  that  as  soon 
as  the  church  obtained  a  charter  from  the  court,  that  the 
president  of  the  board  be  empowered  to  convey  the  title 
to  its  trustees.  Wm.  Bache,  in  his  history  of  Bristol, 
published  in  1853,  claims  that  the  fifteen  original  mem- 
bers of  the  Bristol  Church,  were  members  in  good  stand- 
ing from  sister  churches. 

On  the  3rd  of  May,  1850,  a  charter  of  incorporation 
was  granted  to  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Bristol  Bor- 
ough.    The  same  year,  the  Rev.  Christian  J.  Page,  who 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  169 

had  been  called  by  the  Bristol  Church  as  its  first  pastor, 
on  the  second  of  February  preceding,  arose  in  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association,  and 
announced  the  fact,  that  a  charter  had  been  obtained.  It 
was  accordingly  resolved  that  the  president  and  secre- 
tary convey  the  lot  to  the  Bristol  Church.  At  this  time, 
the  borough  had  a  population  of  2,570,  of  which  1,287 
were  males  and  1,283  females.  There  were  about  450 
dwellings  in  the  town,  besides  a  number  of  shops  of 
various  kinds.  At  the  next  yearly  meeting  in  185 1,  the 
officers  of  the  board  reported  that  the  lot  on  Otter  Street 
had  been  transferred  to  the  Baptist  Church  at  Bristol  and 
that  the  $50,  which  had  been  received  from  the  Trenton 
Railroad  Company  for  damages  for  crossing  the  lot,  had 
been  turned  over  to  the  Bristol  trustees.  The  member- 
ship of  the  Bristol  Church  soon  increased  to  nearly  100 
in  number,  and  for  some  time  they  held  stated  meetings 
for  divine  worship  in  the  lecture  room  of  the  Washing- 
ton Hall. 

Having  sold  their  building  lot  on  Otter  Street,  and 
secured  a  suitable  piece  of  ground  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Walnut  and  Cedar  Streets,  for  building  a  church,  con- 
tracts were  entered  into  with  mechanics :  and  on  the  i8th 
of  June,  185 1,  the  work  had  so  far  progressed  as  to  admit 
of  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  a  handsome  church 
edifice,  composed  of  brown  sandstone,  laid  in  square 
blocks,  hammer-dressed  and  pointed.  The  proportions 
were :  Main  room,  43  by  70  feet ;  above  the  vestibule  was 
a  projecting  tower  of  7  feet,  having  a  5-foot  recess.  Base- 
ment story  had  three  rooms,  a  lecture  room,  41  by  38 
feet,  which  would  seat  about  300  persons;  and  two  com- 
mittee rooms,  one  of  which  was  used  for  school  purposes, 
and  the  other  for  the  meetings  of  the  trustees.  The  main 
audience  chamber  originally  seated  about  450  persons; 
had  eighty-two  pews  on  the  main  floor;  with  a  gallery 
which  seated  an  additional  100  persons.  The  whole  prop- 
erty was  estimated  to  be  worth  about  $8,000. 

The  Rev.  E.  A.  Rook,  a  former  pastor,  in  a  historical 
sketch  read  upon  the  occasion  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  the  church,  held  September  19,  1898,  gives  the  names  of 
the  original  members  of  the  church,  as  follows : 


170  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Amos  Corson,  Eleizetta  Corson,  Maria  A.  Corson,  Me- 
lissa Kinsey,  Susan  Booz,  Peter  W.  Appleton,  Mary 
Appleton,  Mary  A.  Sulger,  Mary  A.  Pennington, 
Margaret  A.  Booz,  Margaret  Weisinger,  Emily  Forst, 
Caroline  Murphy,  Sarah  Johnson,  Mary  Earl. 

The  Rev.  Rook  further  says  that  these  fifteen  original 
members,  met  together  on  September  19,  1848,  for  the 
purpose  of  consulting  as  to  the  best  means  to  be  adopted, 
for  organizing  a  Baptist  Church  in  Bristol.  It  was  agreed 
at  this  meeting,  that  Brother  C.  Davidson,  who  was  then 
preaching  for  this  little  band  of  believers  be  requested  to 
invite  a  few  of  the  churches  in  Philadelphia  to  send  dele- 
gates to  sit  in  council  to  be  convened  September  29,  1848. 
An  invitation  was  also  extended  through  Brother  Amos 
Corson,  to  the  Holmesburg  Church.  On  September  25th 
another  meeting  was  held  by  the  above  named  persons  at 
which  the  Articles  of  Faith  and  Covenant  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  were  unanimously  adopted.  On  September  29, 
1848,  the  ministers  and  laymen  appointed  by  the  Phila- 
delphia churches,  as  requested  by  Brother  Davidson,  met 
in  council  for  the  purpose  of  recognizing  as  a  Baptist 
Church  the  fifteen  persons  already  mentioned,  who  pos- 
sessed letters  of  good  standing  from  sister  churches  of 
the  same  faith  and  order.  After  the  proceedings  of  the 
preparatory  meetings  were  read  by  Brother  Davidson, 
and  the  Articles  of  Faith  and  Church  Covenant  had  also 
been  read,  the  council  retired  and  after  prayer  and  mature 
deliberation,  resolved  to  recognize  the  petitioners  as  a 
Baptist  Church  of  Christ.  The  Methodist  congregation 
kindly  loaned  their  church  for  the  organization  exercises. 

On  the  evening  of  February  2,  1850,  the  members  of  the 
church  held  a  meeting,  the  object  of  which  was  the  elec- 
tion of  a  pastor.  The  following  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted : 

Resolved,  That  our  esteemed  Brother,  C.  J.  Page,  now  located 
at  Milestown,  Pa.,  be  and  is  hereby  called  to  the  pastoral  care 
and  oversight  of  this  church. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three,  consisting  of  Brethren 
Corson,  Thompson  and  Morgan,  be  appointed  to  convey  to 
Brother  Page  a  copy  of  the  above  resolution,  and  invite  him  to 
accept  the  call  to  become  our  pastor. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I7I 

The  above  call  was  accepted  by  Brother  Page,  who  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  April  i,  1850.  Rev.  Page  re- 
mained with  the  church  until  1856,  when  he  resigned, 
after  a  faithful  pastorate  of  over  six  years.  The  following 
pastors  have  served  since  that  time : 

Rev.  William  Swinder,  1856  to  1859;  Rev.  John  Miller, 
1859  to  1862;  Rev.  Malachi  Taylor,  1862  to  1866;  Rev. 
Thomas  Goodwin,  1867;  Rev.  Henry  Bray,  1868  to  1870; 
Rev.  J.  C.  Hyde,  1871  to  1874;  Rev.  C.  E.  Harden,  1875 
to  1876;  Rev.  W.  H.  Conrad,  1877  to  1880;  Rev.  Levi  J. 
Beck,  1880  to  1886;  Rev.  1.  D.  King,  1886  to  1889;  Rev. 
I.  W.  Goodhue,  1889  to  1891 ;  Rev.  W.  H.  Clipman,  1892 
to  1894;  Rev.  E.  A.  Rook,  1894  to  1901 ;  Rev.  Thomas  Mc- 
Kay, 1901  to  1905 ;  Rev.  Wm.  T.  Johnston,  1906  to  the 
present. 

During  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Hyde,  the  heavy 
debt  which  had  hung  over  the  church  since  the  erection  of 
its  building,  was  cancelled.  During  the  past  live  years, 
the  interior  of  the  church  has  been  greatly  changed.  The 
old  gallery  in  the  top  story  has  been  taken  away,  a 
sloping  floor  introduced,  stained  glass  windows  installed, 
while  the  lower  story  has  been  greatly  improved.  New 
comfortable  pews  have  been  placed  in  the  church  audi- 
torium and  a  pipe  organ  adds  much  to  the  attractiveness 
of  the  services.  A  series  of  meetings  for  men,  held  on 
Sunday  afternoons,  have  proven  very  profitable  and  popu- 
lar. In  a  recent  effort  to  raise  funds  for  the  cancellation 
of  some  of  the  church  debt,  about  $800  were  raised. 

Bristol  Newspapers. — Bristol  has  been  the  birthplace 
of  several  newspapers.  In  June,  1849,  William  Bache, 
greatgrandson  of  Franklin,  commenced  the  publication  of 
the  Bristol  Gazette,  a  small  weekly.  It  lived  through 
fifty-two  issues,  and  met  its  death  some  time  in  1850,  for 
want  of  adequate  support.  In  1854,  a  new  paper  came 
into  life  in  the  borough,  being  published  in  the  interest 
of  the  Know-nothings,  a  political  party  just  entering  into 
power.  It  was  called  the  Bucks  County  American  and 
made  its  appearance  on  the  Fourth  of  July.  In  its  sec- 
ond year  it  was  wedded  to  the  Burlington  American, 
making  a  twenty-eight  column  paper.  There  was  no 
12 


172  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

union  of  interest  between  the  publishers,  in  business  or 
otherwise,  the  object  being  to  furnish  the  patrons  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  with  a  more  readable  newspaper.  There 
was  a  double  issue.  The  proprietor  at  Burhngton  was 
Samuel  C.  Atkinson,  while  that  at  Bristol  was  William 
Bache,  a  newspaper  pioneer  along  the  Delaware.  Both 
papers  were  printed  on  the  same  forms,  taken  back  and 
forth  across  the  river.  The  Bucks  County  American 
died  with  the  decline  of  the  party  it  was  started  to  sup- 
port. Following  the  death  of  the  Bucks  County  Ameri- 
can Wm.  Bache  established  a  paper  called  Bache's  Index, 
which  existed  for  about  one  year  and  was  discontinued 
in  1861.  In  April,  1871,  the  Bristol  Observer  was  estab- 
lished by  James  Drury,  a  graduate  of  the  Doylestown 
Democrat.  It  was  continued  until  a  few  years  ago,  when 
the  failing  health  of  its  proprietor  caused  its  withdrawal. 
In  August  of  1873,  Jesse  O.  Thomas,  of  Ohio,  began  the 
publication  of  the  Bucks  County  Gazette,  of  thirty-two 
columns.  Its  first  issue  was  on  August  14,  and  it  has 
continued  without  intermission  ever  since.  In  July,  1888, 
the  Evening  Journal  was  published  by  William  C.  Wat- 
son. It  was  the  first  daily  newspaper  started  in  "Bristol. 
It  continued  for  five  months,  when  it  was  supplanted  by 
the  Weekly  Journal.  The  latter  paper  was  merged  into 
the  Every  Evening  in  1889.  The  Every  Evening  ceased 
its  publication  in  August,  1891  for  want  of  patronage.  In 
1906  the  Weekly  Courier,  a  forty-eight-column  paper,  was 
established  by  Wm.  C.  Watson,  and  has  since  built  up  a 
large  circulation.  The  Bristol  Republican,  which  was 
run  as  a  local  adjunct  to  the  Doylestown  Daily  Repub- 
lican, and  later  the  Doylestown  Daily  Intelligencer,  was 
started  in  the  spring  of  1908,  and  discontinued  December 
10,  1910.  The  Daily  Courier  began  its  career  on  Monday, 
October  3,  1910. 

Downing's  Flour  Mill. — About  1850,  a  flour  mill  was 
erected  on  the  north  bank  of  Adams'  Hollow  Creek,  near 
the  river,  by  Joseph  M.  Downing,  the  grandfather  of 
George  and  Wm.  M.  Downing.  The  building  was  two 
stories  in  height,  was  equipped  with  the  latest  improved 
machinery  and  was  operated  by  steam  power.     It  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I73 

Started  as  an  active  competitor  of  the  Bristol  Mills.  Upon 
the  death  of  Joseph  Downing,  the  business  was  con- 
tinued by  his  son,  Allen  Downing,  and  he,  in  turn,  was 
succeeded  by  a  man  named  Van  Dyke.  Later  the  busi- 
ness was  discontinued  and  the  building  converted  into  a 
snuff  mill  by  Alexander  Ralph  &  Co.  About  1870,  it  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  Ralph  removed  to  Philadelphia,  where 
he  continued  in  the  snuff  business  and  amassed  a  for- 
tune. During  his  residence  in  Bristol,  Mr.  Ralph  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Pleasing  Reminiscences  by  C.  Wesley  Milnor. — Among 
the  many  aged  citizens  of  Bristol,  is  C.  Wesley  Milnor, 
a  native  Bristolian,  and  one  whose  splendid  memory, 
combined  with  his  affable  manner,  make  him  a  pleasing 
conversationalist.  At  the  request  of  the  author,  he  cheer- 
fully contributed  the  following  reminiscences  of  that  im- 
portant period  in  the  town's  history,  1850  to  i860,  when 
Bristol  reached  the  zenith  of  its  prosperity  as  a  coalport 
town. 

"The  chief  industry  in  Bristol  at  this  time  was  the 
shipping  of  coal.  The  coal  was  brought  from  the  mines 
in  canal  boats  down  the  canal  and  after  being  unloaded 
on  the  coal  wharves,  which  were  located  along  the  river 
front,  was  reloaded  into  vessels  and  shipped  to  New 
York  and  other  points.  The  coal  wharves  owned  by  the 
Lehigh  Coal  &  Navigation  Co.,  extended  from  Mill  Street 
to  the  'mouth  of  the  apron,'  and  were  the  largest  in  town. 
Asa  Packer  &  Co.'s  wharf  was  just  north  of  Market 
Street.  The  wharf  of  the  Hazleton  Coal  Co.  was  located 
where  the  waterworks  now  stand.  Between  Franklin 
and  Penn  Streets  was  the  wharf  of  Gilbert  Tomlinson, 
and  back  of  the  residences  of  the  late  J.  K.  Wildman,  F. 
F.  Bell  and  H.  B.  Beatty,  were  wharves  operated  by 
Lewis  Audenreid  &  Co. 

"The  Buck  Mountain  Coal  Co.  had  wharves  above  the 
Hollow  Creek.  The  old  Beaver  Meadow  House,  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Elks'  Home,  was  a  board- 
ing house,  kept  by  Mrs.  Thomas  Crooks,  for  the  men 
who  worked  on  the  wharves. 

"Canal  stables  for  the  accommodation  of  the   horses 


174  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

and  mules  used  on  the  canal,  extended  from  Lock  2, 
back  6TMill  Street,  to  Lock  4,  opposite  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  freight  station,  and  also  along  the  southwest 
side  of  the  canal  basin.  A  large  stable  stood  near  the 
overflow,  back  of  the  old  forge,  and  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  These  stables  created  a  large  business  for  the  farm- 
ers who  sold  their  grain  and  hay  and  straw  to  the  owners. 
The  large  number  of  boatmen  in  the  town,  as  well  as  the 
large  number  employed  on  the  coal  wharves,  contributed 
to  the  prosperity  of  the  community  and  gave  to  the  town 
an  air  of  thrift.  Among  the  important  stores  may  be 
noted  the  following:  James  V.  Foster,  James  Brudon, 
John  Wright,  Allen  Brothers,  Robert  Booz,  Israel  Allen, 
Jackson  Hibbs,  Bostwick  &  Cabeen  and  Pierce  &  Scott. 
Most  of  these  men,  who  engaged  in  business  in  that  day, 
amassed  small  fortunes  and  are  remembered  today  as 
honored  citizens.  Labor  was  cheap  and  food  was  also 
cheap. 

"An  important  industry  in  the  town,  besides  the  old 
forge  spoken  of  elsewhere,  was  a  foundry  on  Wood 
Street  near  Mulberry.  It  was  originally  operated  by 
James  Phillips.  His  successor  was  John  McNeal,  father 
of  Andrew  McNeal,  who  later  was  at  the  head  of  the 
large  pipe  works  located  near  Burlington.  Kelly  & 
Ayers  succeeded  McNeal,  and  later  Ayers  retired  and  the 
business  was  conducted  by  William  Kelly.  About  1869 
the  foundry  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

*Tond  Street,  in  those  days,  was  opened  as  far  up  as 
Dorrance  Street  and  was  called  'Highty  Lane.'  Only 
two  houses  had  been  built  on  the  west  side  above  Walnut 
Street,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by  Charles  Johns  and 
the  other  by  Joseph  Teneyck,  both  of  whom  were  col- 
ored. Where  De  Witt's  -house  now  stands  was  a  building 
occupied  by  William  Wright,  the  father  of  our  respected 
townsman,  the  late  Jonathan  Wright.  Franklin  and  Penn 
Streets  had  been  cut  through  as  far  as  Wood  Street.  The 
Friends  owned  the  land  above  their  present  graveyard, 
up  as  far  as  the  alley  back  of  Dorrance  Street.  Both 
Penn  and  Franklin  Streets  contained  but  half  a  dozen 
houses  each,  occupied  by  men  engaged  in  the  coal  trade. 
At  the  southwest  corner  of  Penn  and  Cedar  Streets  lived 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I75 

William  Tyrol,  the  father  of  John  Tyrol.  Above  Penn 
Street  was  a  farm,  which  extended  up  to  the  Bostwick 
property  above  Lafayette  Street  and  west  from  Rad- 
cliffe  Street  to  Pond.  This  farm  was  purchased  by 
John  Dorrance,  Sr.,  and  Henry  M.  Wright,  who  divided 
the  land  up  into  building  lots  and  opened  Dorrance, 
Washington  and  Lafayette  Streets.  The  farmer  who 
lived  upon  this  plot  of  ground  was  named  James  John- 
son. His  house  stood  at  the  intersection  of  Dorrance 
and  Radcliffe  Streets  and  was  torn  down  when  the 
former  street  was  opened.  The  old  barn  connected  with 
the  farm,  stood  at  the  corner  of  Cedar  and  Lafayette 
Streets  for  many  years  afterward.  The  farm  above  and 
adjoining  this  land  was  owned  by  Cyrus  Pierce,  the 
father  of  Joshua  Peirce.  Following  his  death,  the  sons 
developed  the  land  and  opened  up  Jefferson  Avenue. 

"On  the  west  side  of  the  railroad  in  what  is  now  called 
the  mill  district,  and  extending  from  Beaver  Dam  Road 
to  Jeflferson  Avenue,  the  land  belonged  to  Captain 
Hutchinson.  It  contained  three  large  ponds,  on  which 
the  boys  skated  in  winter.  Captain  Hutchinson  at  one 
time  occupied  the  house  on  Radcliffe  Street,  now  the 
home  of  Jos.  R.  Grundy.  While  living  there  he  built  the 
large  mansion  on  west  Jefferson  Avenue  now  occupied 
by  the  German  Club,  and  resided  there  until  his  death. 
''Buckley  Street  had  been  opened,  but  few  houses  had 
been  erected.  A  rope  manufacturing  industry  was 
located  on  the  street  just  above  the  mill  race.  The 
building  was  125  feet  in  depth  and  one  story  high.  The 
methods  used  were  crude.  The  rope  walker  carried  a 
circle  of  hemp  around  his  waist.  One  end  was  attached 
to  a  large  wheel  which  was  turned  by  hand  and  made  the 
twist.  While  the  rope  walker  stepped  backward  he 
manipulated  the  threads  of  hemp  and  with  the  assistance 
of  the  man  at  the  wheel  twisted  them  into  a  rope.  This 
business  was  conducted  by  W.  J.  Jeffries.  Snedeker's 
machine  shop  also  stood  on  Buckley  Street  near  Bath. 
It  was  built  for  repairing  agricultural  machinery  used  on 
the  farms  near  Bristol. 

"Bath  Street  and  Otter  Street  were  important  highways 
leading  into  the  town  but  contained  very  few  houses. 


176  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

On  the  west  side  of  Otter  Street  there  was  not  a  house 
from  near  the  corner  of  Bath  Street,  down  to  below 
Schmidt's  greenhouses.  Walter  Laing  and  Samuel 
Swaiin  had  purchased  the  lower  end  of  the  field  and  had 
projected  the  laying  out  of  streets  and  building  lots. 

*'One  of  the  smaller  industries  in  the  town  was  that 
of  shoemaking.  Making  shoes  by  machinery  was  un- 
heard of  and  the  wholesale  stores  in  the  larger  cities 
placed  their  orders  for  hand-made  shoes  with  the  work- 
men in  the  surrounding  towns.  Bristol's  close  proximity 
to  Philadelphia  encouraged  the  industry  here,  and  many 
of  our  citizens  engaged  in  the  business.  Most  manufac- 
turers employed  a  number  of  apprentices,  and  in  this  way 
the  shoe  business  gave  employment  to  a  large  number  of 
citizens.  Among  the  many  who  engaged  in  the  business, 
the  following  can  be  remembered :  Clayton  Pope,  Alexan- 
der Morrison,  Nathaniel  Brodnax,  Lewis  Holt,  Charles 
Banes,  Henry  Gear,  Jacob  S.  Young." 

Bristol's  Forges. — In  1852  a  stock  company,  with  a 
capital  of  $12,000,  built  the  Bristol  forge  for  the  manu- 
facture of  heavy  shafting  and  other  large  pieces  of 
wrought  iron.  This  business  was  fairly  successful.  When 
the  demand  for  armor  plates  for  government  warships 
created  a  market  for  their  products  both  active  and  profit- 
able, the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $125,000,  and  the 
capacity  of  the  works  greatly  enlarged ;  but,  unfortunate- 
ly, too  late  to  reap  the  anticipated  advantage  therefrom. 
The  large  amount  of  iron-working  machinery  put  into 
operation  all  over  the  country  during  the  war,  and  the 
sudden  withdrawal  of  demand  for  the  products  conse- 
quent upon  its  termination,  created  a  depression  in  the 
business,  from  which  this  company  never  recovered.  The 
plant  was  subsequently  entirely  removed.  It  was  in  this 
forge  that  the  iron  plates  were  made  for  the  hull  of  ''New- 
Ironsides,"  a  man-of-war,  which  gained  prominence  in 
the  Civil  War,  and  was  burned  at  the  old  Philadelphia 
navy  yard. 

Stimulated  by  the  large  profits  of  the  Bristol  Forge 
and  Iron  Company  during  the  brief  period  of  its  pros- 
perity, a  second  organization  was  formed  under  the  name 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I77 

and  title  of  the  Keystone  Forge  Company,  with  a  capital 
of  $87,000.  An  extensive  plant  was  erected  on  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  old  railroad,  south  of  Mill  Street,  but  too 
late  to  receive  any  profitable  business.  Losses  thus  in- 
curred absorbed  nearly  the  whole  capital.  The  old  build- 
ing was  used  by  the  Democratic  pioneer  corps,  to  drill 
in,  during  the  Hancock-Garfield  political  campaign  in  the 
fall  of  1880,  and  was  removed  about  the  year  1882,  when 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  changed  the  course  of  its  road- 
bed south  of  Mill  Street. 

Landreth's  Machine  Shop. — A  machine  shop  was 
established  at  the  corner  of  Pond  and  Mulberry  Streets 
in  1852,  for  the  manufacture  of  Allen's  Swift-Sure  Mow- 
ing Machine,  Corn  Sheller,  Plows  and  other  agricultural 
implements.  The  business  was  conducted  by  David 
Landreth  &  Sons,  of  Bloomsdale,  and  was  run  as  an  ad- 
junct to  their  Philadelphia  business.  The  output  was 
sold  mostly  at  Peoria,  111. ;  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  Charles- 
town,  S.  C,  where  the  manufacturers  maintained  exten- 
sive sales  rooms.  This  manufacturing  business  was  dis- 
continued in  1862  and  the  buildirfg  was  leased  by  John 
Bardsley,  who  later  became  city  treasurer  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  fitted  up  as  a  woolen  mill.  Bardsley  retained 
possession  for  five  years,  and  on  the  evening  of  October 
16,  1876,  the  building  was  burned  to  the  ground.  (Con- 
tributed by  Captain  Burnet  Landreth.) 

The  Temperance  War. — Back  in  the  early  fifties,  the 
temperance  question  agitated  the  minds  of  our  citizens 
and  the  movement  became  a  popular  one.  Meetings 
were  held  in  Institute  Hall,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
present  postoffice  building  at  the  corner  of  Radcliffe  and 
Market  Streets.  Thomas  P.  Hunt  was  one  of  the  promi- 
nent orators  of  that  day.  Meetings  were  also  held  in  a 
tent  on  Radcliffe  Street,  where  the  Algonquin  clubhouse 
is  located.  Wanger,  the  Poughkeepsie  blacksmith, 
charmed  the  people  with  his  eloquence.  Twenty-five 
years  later  the  "old  grove,"  which  stood  on  Pond  Street, 
above  DeWitt's  greenhouses,  was  the  scene  of  many 
meetings  held   in  the  interest  of  the  temperance  cause. 


178  A  HISTORY  OF  IIRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

An  orator  named  William  A.  Lafferty  was  active  in  the 
work. 

In  the  winter  of  1885-6,  the  temperance  cause  de- 
veloped its  greatest  strength.  The  W.  C.  T,  U.  brought 
suit  against  a  citizen  for  illegally  selling  liquor,  and  he 
was  promptly  convicted.  While  giving  attention  to  the 
prosecution  of  this  suit,  the  ladies  were  apprised  of  the 
applications  for  license  on  file  from  other  parties,  against 
three  of  whom  they  had  evidence  of  violation  of  the  law, 
and  promptly  had  the  proper  remonstrances  prepared  and 
presented  to  the  court. 

It  being  apparent  that  the  court  was  inclined  to  deal 
harshly  with  those  found  guilty  of  violation  of  the  liquor 
laws,  the  hotel  and  saloon  keepers,  through  their  attor- 
ney, B.  F.  Gilkeson,  Esq.,  solicited  the  consideration  of 
the  ladies,  to  a  proposition  in  the  shape  of  a  pledge  of  the 
saloon  keepers  to  obey  the  law,  in  consideration  of  which 
the  remonstrances  were  asked  to  be  withdrawn  and  no 
further  prosecutions  instituted  for  past  offences.  Fol- 
lowing is  a  copy  of  the  pledge : 

"We,  the  undersigned  licensed  dealers  in  spirituous,  vinous, 
malt  and  brewed  liquors,  in  the  Borough  of  Bristol,  County  of 
Bucks,  and  State  of  Pennsylvania,  do  hereby  agree  as  follows : 

Fij'st,  That  we  will  close  and  keep  closed  our  respective  bar- 
rooms and  saloons  on  Sunday,  and  will  sell  no  liquor  of  any 
kind  whatever  to  any  person  or  persons,  nor  suffer  the  same 
to  be  sold  or  given  away  upon  our  respective  premises  to  any 
persons  on  Sunday. 

Second,  That  we  will  sell  no  liquor,  either  spirtuous,  vinous, 
malt  or  brewed,  to  any  person  under  21  years  of  age,  nor  suffer 
or  permit  any  such  person  to  be  given  any  of  the  said  liquors 
upon  our  respective  premises. 

Third,  That  we  will  close  our  respective  places  of  business 
every  night  at  12  o'clock  and  not  permit  the  same  to  be  opened 
until  sunrise  the  next  day. 

Fourth,  That  no  pool  table  shall  be  permitted  upon  our  re- 
spective premises,  nor  shall  any  game  of  chance  be  played  either 
for  drinks  or  otherwise  in  our  respective  places  of  business. 

_  Fifth,  That  those  of  us  who  do  buisness  under  a  restaurant 
license  will  sell  no  whiskey,  gin,  brandy,  or  other  spirituous 
liquor  to  any  person  or  persons  nor  permit  the  same  to  be  sold 
or  given  away  at  our  places  of  business. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I79 

Sixth,  That  we  shall  sell  no  liquor  of  any  kind  to  any  person 
visibly  intoxicated,  or  of  known  intemperate  habits,  nor  will  we 
sell  liquors  of  any  kind  to  any  person  after  receiving  notice  not 
to  sell  from  such  person  or  persons  who  by  law  give  such 
notice. 

Seventh,  That  in  all  other  respects  we  will  faithfully  obey 
the  laws  relating  to  the  sale  of  liquor. 

Eighth,  That  any  violation  of  this  agreement  upon  the  part  of 
any  one  of  us,  which  shall  com&  to  the  knowledge  of  any  of 
the  subscribers  hereto,  shall  be  at  once  reported  to  our  attor- 
ney to  be  dealt  with  according  to  law. 

In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  and  seals 
this  sixth  day  of  February,  A.  D.,  1886. 

This  pledge  was  signed  by  all  the  proprietors  of 
licensed  places  in  the  borough,  except  three,  one  of  whom 
was  tried  before  the  court,  and  being  found  guilty,  the 
license  was  transferred  to  another  person.  The  ladies 
of  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  were  reluctant  to  entertain  the  propo- 
sition, but  upon  the  advice  of  their  attorney,  Henry  Lear, 
of  Doylestown,  finally  decided  to  do  so,  upon  the  ground 
that  it  secured  them  all  they  could  hope  to  obtain,  if  the 
cases  were  continued,  and  would  place  them  in  a  strong 
position  for  the  future,  without  compromising  anything. 

In  more  recent  years  the  temperance  question  has  be- 
come a  political  issue,  and  has  injected  itself  into  the  elec- 
tion of  state  assemblymen,  who  favor  the  passage  of  a 
local  option  law. 

A   History  of  Bristol's   Physicians   Down   to    1854. — 

From  writings  by  the  late  William  Kinsey,  we  are  able  to 
obtain  some  interesting  information  about  Bristol's  old- 
time  physicians.  Mr.  Kinsey,  in  a  newspaper  article  of 
long  ago,  says : 

"There  is  no  record  that  gives  any  account  of  the  names 
of  the  first  physicians  who  practiced  medicine  in  Bristol. 
I  have  heard  my  grandparents,  who  were  amongst  the 
early  settlers,  speak  of  Dr.  John  Abraham  de  Normandie 
practicing  in  their  early  days,  and  said  he  was  their 
family  physician.  They  spoke  of  him  as  a  man  of  dis- 
tinguished ability.  He  emigrated  with  his  father  from 
Geneva,  in  the  year  1706,  and  settled  in  Bristol.  They 
were   descendants  of  a  distinguished   family  in   France, 


l8o  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

and  being  Huguenots,  fled  to  America  to  escape  perse- 
cution. Their  remains  lie  in  the  Episcopal  graveyard, 
Bristol.  An  interesting  account  of  the  family  is  given  in 
Davis'  History  of  Bucks  County.  He  was  supposed  to  be 
the  first  regular  physician  that  settled  in  the  county. 

''Dr.  William  Mcllvain  practiced  as  early  as  1748.  He 
was  a  brother  of  Bishop  Mcllvain  and  had  an  extensive 
practice;  he  also  had  a  brother  Joseph,  who  held  a  com- 
mission in  the  army.  His  father  sent  him  to  Edinburg 
to  finish  his  education.  His  remains  lie  in  the  Episcopal 
graveyard,  Bristol. 

"Dr.  Wm.  Hewston  practiced  previous  to  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  removed  to  Philadelphia,  and  became  one 
of  the  prominent  physicians  of  the  city. 

''Dr.  Joseph  P.  Minick  practiced  as  early  as  1770.  He 
was  the  founder  of  the  Bath  Springs,  and  built  the  large 
bath  house  in  1807,  for  the  accommodation  of  his  patients 
who  came  from  all  parts  of  the  country  for  the  benefit  of 
the  chalybeate  water,  which  in  that  day  was  considered 
the  best  for  curing  diseases  of  any  mineral  water  that 
had  yet  been  discovered  in  the  country.  Bristol  in  that 
day  became  a  great  resort  for  invalids  from  all  parts 
(even  from  the  West  Indies),  who  professed  to  have  been 
cured  by  the  use  of  the  waters.  The  doctor  sold  the 
property  and  removed  to  Ohio. 

"Dr.  Amos  Gregg  came  to  Bristol  from  Middletown 
previous  to  the  year  1785.  He  was  considered  a  reliable 
physician  and  had  an  extensive  and  successful  practice. 
He  built  the  house  now  belonging  to  R.  Trudgon,  in  Mill 
Street,  which  was  then  the  largest  and  finest  mansion  in 
the  borough.  He  was  several  times  elected  to  the  office 
of  councilman  and  chief  burgess,  and  filled  many  offices 
of  trust  and  responsibility.  His  practice  amongst 
Friends,  of  which  society  he  was  a  member,  was  very 
extensive.  He  died  in  1817,  having  accumulated  a  large 
amount  of  property. 

"Dr.  John  S.  Mitchell  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Wil- 
son, of  Buckingham ;  came  to  Bristol  in  1817,  married  a 
Bristol  lady  and  practiced  about  a  year,  and  then  moved 
to  Hulmeville,  where  he  had  a  large  practice.  He  was 
frequently  called  upon  to  consult  with  physicians  in  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  l8l 

neighborhood  in  extreme  and  dangerous  cases.  He  was 
looked  upon  as  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  abilities; 
though  slow  in  his  movements  he  was  generally  success- 
ful in  his  practice.  In  1840,  he  moved  to  Cape  May  Coun- 
ty, N.  J.,  and  shortly  after  died  there. 

"Dr.  Henry  Desborough  came  to  Bristol  from  Philadel- 
phia about  the  year  1800.  He  brought  testimonials  from 
the  Humane  Society  of  having  restored  to  life  a  boy  who 
was  drowned  in  the  Schuylkill  after  being  in  the  water 
three-quarters  of  an  hour.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  appear- 
ance and  of  excellent  elementary  education,  was  consid- 
ered the  best  surgeon  in  the  county  and  had  nearly  all 
the  practice  in  that  line.  He  was  fond  of  good  horses, 
kept  a  pack  of  hounds,  and  was  prominent  in  the  sports 
of  his  day.  He  was  fond  of  a  good  joke  and  played  many 
on  the  boys  who  came  under  his  treatment  whom  he  sus- 
pected of  robbing  his  fruit  trees.  On  one  occasion  a  boy 
suspected  of  stealing  his  plums  went  to  his  office  to  have 
a  tooth  extracted.  The  doctor  seated  him,  applied  the 
forceps,  then  with  his  arm  around  his  head  to  keep  him 
from  getting  away  he  gave  them  a  twist,  when  the  boy 
gave  a  yell — another  twist  and  another  yell,  the  boy 
struggling  to  get  away.  The  doctor  said :  "You  are  the 
boy  who  stole  my  plums."  When  he  promised  to  do  so 
no  more,  he  drew  the  tooth  and  the  boy  went  out  of  the 
office  breathing  threatenings  against  the  doctor.  He  re- 
mained unmarried  until  about  two  years  previous  to  his 
death,  which  took  place  in  1823.  He  was  greatly  respect- 
ed by  the  people  for  his  liberality  towards  the  poor. 

"Dr.  John  Phillips  was  born  in  Lawrenceville,  N.  J.,  in 
1790,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Smith  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, graduated  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
came  to  Bristol  in  1812  and  began  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine. He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  being 
over  six  feet  in  height.  He  married  Deborah,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Amos  Gregg,  who  for  many  years  was  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  of  the  borough.  She  was  a  lady  of 
refinement  and  noted  for  her  benevolence.  Dr.  Phillips 
was  highly  educated  in  the  science  of  medicine  and  was 
eminently  successful  in  clinical  practice.  As  a  physician, 
he  obtained  great  distinction,  devoting  himself  with  un- 


l82  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

remitting  zeal  for  nearly  a  half  century  to  the  duties  of  a 
very  extensive  practice,  during  which  he  was  called  upon 
to  treat  cases  of  unusual  character.  During  the  epidemic 
that  prevailed  in  Bristol  and  vicinity  in  1823,  which 
baffled  the  efforts  of  physicians  in  their  treatment  of  its 
victims,  so  alarming  was  its  effects  upon  the  people  that 
the  Board  of  Health,  with  many  physicians  from  Phila- 
delphia, visited  Bristol  to  make  examinations  into  the 
character  and  effects  on  its  victims.  During  the  preva- 
lence of  the  disease,  for  upwards  of  four  weeks,  the  doc- 
tor's practice  extended  into  the  townships  of  Bensalem, 
Middletown,  Falls,  Morrisville  and  Bristol.  Great  was 
the  joy  of  the  people  when  the  epidemic  passed  away,  the 
cause  of  which  was  never  satisfactorily  accounted  for. 
The  doctor  made  as  many  as  sixty  visits  in  twenty-four 
hours.  He  was  frequently  called  upon  to  consult  with 
physicians  in  extreme  cases.  He  was  positive  in  his  con- 
victions, and  had  no  sympathy  with  any  man  who  prac- 
ticed medicine  under  any  other  diploma  than  that  issued 
by  the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  He 
held  many  offices  of  honor  and  trust  in  the  borough  and 
under  the  general  government,  succeeded  in  securing  a 
large  amount  of  property  from  his  practice,  and  died  in 
1861  in  the  seventy-second  years  of  his  age,  greatly 
lamented.  The  doctor  treated  a  case  during  his  practice 
that  gave  him  great  prominence  in  the  higher  circles  of 
society.  Joseph  Bonaparte,  the  brother  of  the  great 
Napoleon,  who  possessed  successively  the  crowns  of 
Naples  and  Spain,  whilst  living  in  his  splendid  mansion  at 
Point  Breeze,  N.  J.,  in  making  a  visit  to  his  friend,  Major 
Lenox,  residing  in  Bristol,  was  accidentally  thrown  from 
his  carriage  opposite  the  Coates'  farm  (now  D.  Landreth 
&  Sons),  and  was  seriously  injured.  The  doctor  had 
been  visiting  his  patients  near  Tullytown,  and  returning 
he  overtook  the  ex-king,  who  was  sitting  by  the  roadside 
unable  to  rise.  He  lifted  him  into  his  buggy  and  drove  to 
the  Delaware  House.  Under  the  doctor's  treatment  he 
recovered  so  as  to  be  able  to  return  home  the  same  eve- 
ning. A  day  or  two  afterwards  the  doctor  received  a  let- 
ter from  the  count  in  which  was  enclosed  a  $100  note, 
with  thanks  for  the  kindness  he  had  received.     Shortly 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  183 

after  another  remembrance  came — a  beautiful  steel  en- 
graved likeness  of  the  great  Napoleon,  handsomely 
framed,  which  is  now  in  the  possession  of  one  of  the  doc- 
tor's grandchildren. 

''Dr.  Henry  Lippincott  came  to  Bristol  about  the  year 
1838.  He  taught  school  in  the  Friends'  Meeting  House, 
a  year  or  more,  and  then  commenced  the  study  of  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  John  Phillips.  After  graduating  he  re- 
mained in  Bristol  a  short  time,  then  removed  to  Fall- 
sington,  where,  after  many  years  of  successful  practice,  he 
died. 

''Dr.  Somers  came  to  Bristol  in  1823  from  Philadelphia, 
to  attend  the  patients  of  Dr.  Desborough,  who  was  taken 
sick  and  died  in  September  of  that  year.  Shortly  after  he 
bought  the  property  occupied  by  Dr.  Desborough  and 
commenced  practice.  Although  considered  a  good  phy- 
sician he  did  not  succeed,  and  after  a  residence  of  five 
or  six  years  returned  to  Philadelphia. 

"Dr.  Samuel  McClellan  came  to  Bristol  in  1824.  He 
practiced  here  about  two  years  and  returned  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  built  up  a  good  practice.  He  was  greatly 
admired  for  the  genial  manner  in  which  he  met  his 
patrons.  He  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  leaving  a  large 
circle  of  friends  to  mourn  the  loss  of  a  young  man  who 
bid  fair  to  be  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  medical  fra- 
ternity. He  was  a  brother  of  the  widely  known  and 
celebrated  surgeon,  George  B.  McClellan.  During  his 
short  stay  in  Bristol,  he  had  a  case  of  accidental  shooting 
which  the  physicians  said  was  very  skilfully  and  success- 
fully managed.  A  guard  on  one  of  the  mail  coaches  be- 
tween Philadelphia  and  New  York,  in  dismounting  from 
his  seat,  accidentally  discharged  his  pistol,  one  ball  enter- 
ing his  face  below  the  eye  and  the  other  his  neck.  The 
doctor  extracted  the  ball  from  the  neck  and  the  man 
recovered.  Some  three  years  later  the  ball  that  entered 
his  face  was  taken  out  of  his  throat. 

"Dr.  Edward  Swain  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  Swain, 
whose  •  ancestors  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
county.  He  studied  rnedicine  with  Dr.  Phillips,  gradu- 
ated in  1833,  commenced  practice  shortly  after,  became 
popular,  and  was  generally  successful  in  the  treatment  of 


184  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI^  BOROUGH. 

his  patients.  But  he,  like  a  great  many  young  men  of 
promise,  was  suddenly  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  life.  On 
the  fourth  day  of  July,  1839,  he  accepted  an  invitation  to 
take  an  excursion  to  Philadelphia  on  the  steamboat  Bur- 
lington. Shortly  after  the  boat  left  Burlington  she  was 
run  into  by  the  steamer  Pilot  Boy.  The  doctor  being  in 
a  side  room  at  the  time,  was  crushed  to  death  and  fell 
into  the  river.  It  was  many  days  before  his  body  was 
recovered.  Thus  died  a  young  man  of  bright  prospects, 
leaving  a  widow  and  three  children  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
a  kind  husband  and  affectionate  father. 

''Dr.  Wm.  Bessonett  was  a  son  of  John  Bessonett,  who 
kept  the  Delaware  House  for  upwards  of  forty  years.  He 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Physic,  of  Philadelphia,  in 
1823.  After  his  graduation  he  practiced  two  years  in 
Bristol,  when  he  emigrated  to  New  Albany,  Miss., 
through  the  persuasion  of  a  resident  of  that  place,  where 
he  succeeded  in  securing  a  good  practice. 

"Dr.  Benjamin  Tomlinson  was  a  son  of  Henry  Tomlin- 
son,  an  old  resident  of  Bristol.  He  studied  medicine  with 
Dr.  John  Phillips  in  1826,  graduated  with  distinguished 
honor,  remained  in  Bristol  a  year,  and  then  removed  to 
South  Amboy,  N.  J.,  where  he  became  noted  for  his  suc- 
cess in  the  treatment  of  malignant  fevers.  He  died  in 
1835  greatly  and  deservedly  lamented. 

"Dr.  Reynold  Coates  came  to  Bristol  from  Philadelphia 
in  the  year  1838.  He  was  a  younger  brother  of  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Coates,  who  was  for  many  years  connected 
with  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital.  He  was  an  educated 
and  talented  man,  with  pleasant  and  agreeable  manners, 
but  did  not  succeed  in  his  practice.  His  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  a  Philadelphia  merchant  who  spent  much 
money  on  her  education.  She  was  gay  and  giddy  and 
was  the  first  woman  in  Bristol  to  appear  on  the  streets  in 
bloomer  costume.  Being  short  in  stature,  she  did  not 
make  a  favorable  appearance,  and  was  severely  criti- 
cized by  the  women  of  the  borough.  Some  said  she  must 
be  fond  of  showing  her  extremities,  and  others  that  she 
wanted  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  men,  of  whom  she 
was  very  fond.  The  doctor,  finding  his  practice  decreas- 
ing, moved  to  Camden,  where  he  succeeded  in  obtaining 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  185 

a  large  and  lucrative  business.     His  wife  died  shortly 
after  leaving  Bristol. 

''Dr.  E.  B.  Dodson  came  to  Bristol  in  the  year  1836  from 
Philadelphia.  He  graduated  at  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, was  well  educated  in  the  science  of  medicine, 
and  was  successful  in  treating  his  patients,  but  not  suc- 
ceeding financially  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  where 
he  died  in  1861. 

*'Dr.  L.  V.  Rousseau  came  to  Bristol  in  the  year  1848 
from  Bridgewater,  Bensalem  Township.  He  Avas  the  son 
of  the  celebrated  French  physician,  Joseph  B.  Rousseau, 
of  Philadelphia,  who  studied  medicine  and  graduated  in 
France,  practiced  some  time  in  San  Domingo,  and  re- 
moved to  Philadelphia,  where  he  became  noted  for  his 
success  in  his  treatment  of  extreme  cases.  He  owned  and 
occupied  a  beautiful  residence  in  Bensalem  Township,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  known  as  the  Clock  House,  in 
which  he  kept  a  light  burning  at  night  to  warn  watermen 
of  the  rocks  located  in  the  river  in  front  of  his  house.  He 
was  much  esteemed  by  his  neighbors.  Dr.  L.  V.  Rosseau 
studied  medicine  with  his  father  and  graduated  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent 
education  and  agreeable  manners,  and  had  an  extensive 
practice  in  medicine  and  surgery,  in  which  he  was  very 
successful  in  his  treatment.  He  married  the  granddaugh- 
ter of  Captain  John  Green,  who  lived  in  Bristol  Town- 
ship, on  the  banks  of  the  Neshaminy,  and  who  was  cap- 
tain of  the  first  ship  that  carried  the  American  flag  to 
China.  The  doctor  had  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow-citizens  in  matters  pertaining  to  everyday  life.  He 
built  the  beautiful  residence  at  the  corner  of  Cedar  and 
Mulberry  Streets.  He  died  in  1876,  having  practiced 
twenty-eight  years  in  Bristol.  His  great  success  was  in 
the  treatment  of  typhoid  fevers — seldom  losing  a  case. 
He  was  a  prominent  member  of  Bristol  Lodge,  No.  25, 
F.  &  A.  M.,  having  passed  the  chairs  with  honor,  and  ad- 
vanced in  the  higher  degrees. 

"Dr.  Joseph  Pease  came  to  Bristol  from  Philadelphia  in 
1836.  He  was  a  young  man,  well  educated,  a  descendant 
of  a  wealthy  family  in  the  city  who  spent  their  summers 
in  Bristol,  which  place  was  thought  by  his  friends  to  be 


l86  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

a  good  place  to  commence  his  medical  labors  in.  But 
alas !  all  their  hopes  were  blasted  by  his  sudden  death, 
which  was  the  result  of  an  imprudent  act  on  his  part. 
One  very  warm  day,  while  suffering  from  the  heat  he 
went  into  the  cellar  to  cool  off — was  stricken  with  a  chill, 
and  died  the  next  day. 

''There  was  a  Dr.  Hagerman  and  a  Dr.  Brent  who  came 
to  Bristol  between  the  years  1835  and  1840,  neither  of 
whom  remained  long  enough  to  establish  a  medical  repu- 
tation. From  whence  they  came  or  whither  they  went, 
I  am  unable  to  say. 

"Dr.  Augustus  Guerard  came  to  Bristol  about  the  year 
1838.  He  was  from  Savannah,  Ga.,  attended  lectures 
and  graduated  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  associated  in 
practice  with  Dr.  John  Phillips  for  several  years,  and  was 
considered  a  safe  and  reliable  physician.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  David  Swain,  an  old  and  much  respected  citi- 
zen of  Bristol.  He  built  the  house  now  owned  by  Mrs. 
Clemens,  on  Radcliffe  Street,  and  resided  there  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1859.  He  was  a 
good  citizen  and  a  worthy  man. 

"Dr.  Benjamin  Malone  came  to  Bristol  from  Bucking- 
ham, in  1845.  He  practiced  until  1849,  when  he  was 
elected  to  the  state  senate  for  three  years.  After  the  ex- 
piration of  his  term  he  removed  to  Philadelphia  and  died 
there.  During  his  stay  in  Bristol  he  made  many  friends, 
was  generally  successful  in  practice,  which,  though  not 
large,  was  amongst  the  best  families  in  the  borough.  As 
a  citizen,  he  was  active  in  all  movements  for  the  pros- 
perity of  the  borough  and  the  elevation  of  human  charac- 
ter. During  the  rebellion  he  received  the  appointment 
of  purser  in  the  army,  which  he  held  during  the  war.  His 
failing  health  was  the  cause  of  his  giving  up  practice. 

"Dr.  E.  B.  Buckman  came  to  Bristol  in  1849  ^^^  pur- 
chased the  practice  of  Dr.  Malone.  He  remained  till  1856, 
when  he  removed  to  Byberry,  and  from  there  to  Phila- 
delphia. In  1863  he  was  professionally  in  the  military 
service,  on  the  field  and  in  charge  of  hospitals  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  after  which  he  resumed  practice  in  Phil- 
adelphia, where  he  became  prominent  as  professor  in 
surgery  and  physiology  in  the  Philadelphia  University; 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  187 

subsequently  a  professor  of  physiology  in  the  Penn 
Medical  University.  During  his  residence  in  Bristol  he 
made  many  friends.  His  practice  was  principally 
amongst  the  Society  of  Friends,  of  which  he  was 
a  member. 

"Dr.  Wm.  Phillips  came  from  Lawrenceville,  N.  J., 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  John  Phillips,  graduated  at 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1844,  married  the 
daughter  of  Dr.  Phillips,  and  commenced  to  practice  with 
him.  He  was  a  young  man  of  talent,  integrity  and  zeal; 
his  useful  life  was  of  short  duration.  He  died  in  1854 
greatly  and  deservedly  lamented.  He  built  and  occupied 
the  house  now  the  residence  of  Dr.  E.  J.  Groom,  on  Mill 
Street. 

"Dr.  Henry  Dorrance  came  to  Bristol  in  1850,  from 
Philadelphia,  remained  two  years,  removed  to  Burling- 
ton, N.  J.,  remained  but  a  short  time,  and  returned  to 
the  city.  He  was  a  young  man  of  talent,  well  educated, 
prepossessing  and  gentlemanly  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  people.  The  community  being  so  well  supplied  with 
older  physicians,  but  little  opportunity  was  offered  to 
test  his  medical  skill. 

"Dr.  James  L.  Pierce  was  the  son  of  Cyrus  Pierce,  an 
old  and  much  respected  citizen  of  Bristol.  He  commenced 
practice  in  1854,  was  a  young  man  of  talent,  excellent 
education  and  agreeable  manners.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  Garrett  and  Lydie  Lukens,  of  Bristol,  and 
was  distinguished  for  his  integrity  and  zeal  in  his  pro- 
fession, was  greatly  confided  in  by  his  fellow  citizens 
and  was  securing  a  fine  practice  when  he  fell  a  victim  to 
that  fell  destroyer,  consumption,  and  died  in  the  prime  of 
life  greatly  and  deservedly  lamented. 

''x\mongst  the  noted  persons  who  studied  medicine  in 
Bristol  was  Mrs.  James  Anderson,  who  came  from  Con- 
necticut in  1837  to  take  charge  of  the  female  department 
of  the  common  school.  Her  maiden  name  was  Anna 
Smith.  She  was  a  young  lady  of  fine  education  and  a 
successful  teacher.  She  married  James  Anderson,  prin- 
cipal of  the  grammar  department  of  the  school.  They 
were  the  first  teachers  in  the  public  school.  She  gradu- 
ated about  the  year  1850,  remained  in  Bristol  some  time, 
13 


l88  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

was  successful  in  the  treatment  of  her  cases,  and  removed 
to  Rahway,  N.  J. 

^'Bristol  has  been  the  resort  of  many  eminent  men  in 
the  medical  profession  who  spent  their  summers  in  the 
borough  for  the  benefit  derived  from  the  use  of  its  min- 
eral waters.  Among  the  number  I  remember  the  name 
of  Dr.  Mead,  of  Philadelphia,  who  brought  with  him  a 
fine  span  of  horses  and  an  elegant  barouche.  He  boarded 
at  the  Delaware  House,  which  in  that  day  was  considered 
the  best  hotel  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York;  Dr. 
Pollock,  who  came  from  North  Carolina,  who  was  the 
owner  of  a  large  cotton  plantation  and  had  many  slaves, 
one  of  which  always  accompanied  him  on  his  journeys. 
Dr.  Prettiman,  from  South  Carolina,  with  his  wife  and 
daughter,  who  always  traveled  in  his  own  conveyance. 
Dr.  Wynn  and  his  son,  of  New  York,  boarded  at  the 
Cross  Keys ;  they  both  fell  victims  to  death  from  indiges- 
tion brought  on  by  partaking  of  large  quantities  of 
huckleberries  and  cream,  of  which  they  were  very  fond, 
just  before  going  to  bed.  The  father  was  found  dead  in 
bed,  and  the  son  died  the  next  day.  Dr.  Gill,  a  French 
surgeon  in  Bonaparte's  army,  who  was  with  him  in  his 
campaign  in  Egypt,  after  Bonaparte's  downfall  came  to 
America  and  married  the  daughter  of  a  Philadelphia 
merchant  named  Fricke.  He  bought  the  Bath  Springs 
and  moved  to  Bristol  in  1820,  and  remained  several  years, 
when  he  sold  the  property  and  returned  to  Philadelphia. 
During  his  stay  here  he  was  frequently  called  upon  to 
consult  with  the  physicians  of  the  borough  in  surgical 
cases. 

"Dr.  James  de  Normandie,  son  of  Dr.  John,  moved  to 
Bristol,  remained  two  years  and  then  removed  to  Ohio. 
Dr.  James  married  a  daughter  of  M.  Yardley,  settled  in 
Falls  Township  and  had  a  very  fine  practice. 

"Among  the  noted  men  was  the  celebrated  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin Rush,  who  was  born  in  Byberry,  Philadelphia 
County,  who  wrote  an  interesting  article  on  the  medical 
properties  of  the  mineral  waters  at  Bath  Springs  in  1770, 
which  was  published  in  the  Philadelphia  papers  of  that 
period. 

"In  olden  times,  at  the  commencement  of  the  lectures 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  189 

in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  there  would  be  great 
fear  on  the  part  of  the  people  that  their  dead  would  be 
stolen  from  their  graves  to  supply  the  students  with  sub- 
jects for  dissection.  Many  persons  employed  men  to 
watch  the  graves  of  their  relatives  to  prevent  desecration 
by  the  body  snatchers.  A  wag  wrote  the  following  lines 
and  posted  them  on  the  gate  at  the  entrance  of  one  of  the 
graveyards  in  Philadelphia,  which  caused  much  excite- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  incredulous  : 

"The  Body-Snatchers  have  come 

And  made  a  snatch  at  me. 
It's   very  hard  these  kind   of   men 

Won't  let  a  body  be. 
Don't  go  to  weep  upon  my  grave, 

And  think  that  there  I  be; 
They  haven't  left  an  atom  there 

Of  my  anatomy." 

Charles  Burleigh,  the  Abolitionist,  Denied  the  Right  of 
Free  Speech. — In  1839,  Charles  Burleigh,  the  celebrated 
abolition  lecturer,  visited  Bristol  by  invitation  from  the 
anti-slavery  men,  to  deliver  a  lecture  on  "American 
Slavery."  Application  was  made  to  the  board  of  directors 
for  permission  to  hold  the  meeting  in  the  public  school 
house,  which  was  granted.  Notice  was  published  that 
the  meeting  would  be  held  on  Sabbath  afternoon  at  2 
o'clock.  As  soon  as  the  people  learned  that  Burleigh  was 
an  abolitionist,  they  became  greatly  excited.  Notices 
were  posted  calling  on  all  good  citizens  to  meet  at  the 
town  hall,  Saturday  evening,  to  take  such  action  in  the 
matter  as  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  prevent  the  meet- 
ing from  being  held  in  the  public  school  house.  A  large 
number  of  citizens  were  present.  Speeches  were  made 
denouncing  the  board  of  school  directors  for  their  action 
in  the  matter.  A  resolution  calling  on  all  good  citizens 
to  be  present  and  prevent  Burleigh  from  lecturing  in  the 
school  house  was  passed.  As  early  as  10  o'clock  on  Sun- 
day morning  the  people  began  to  flock  up  Wood  Street 
to  the  school  house.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
guard  the  entrance  to  the  house.  By  2  o'clock  a  crowd 
of  300  persons  had  assembled,  many  of  them  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  who  made  violent  and  noisy  demon- 


190  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

strations  against  the  abolitionist.  As  soon  as  Burleigh 
and  his  friends  made  their  appearance  the  mob  made  a 
rush  for  the  gate.  When  he,  accompanied  by  Joseph 
Warner  and  Cyrus  Pierce,  attempted  to  enter,  they  were 
pushed  back  into  the  street.  A  second  and  third  attempt 
was  made,  but  with  no  better  success.  In  the  scuffle, 
Friend  Warner  was  thrown  to  the  ground  and  received 
severe  bruises.  Some  of  the  better  class  cried  shame  and 
rushed  in  to  prevent  any  further  violence  to  Burleigh  and 
his  friends.  Gilbert  Tomlinson,  president  of  the  board  of 
school  directors,  made  a  speech  denouncing  the  action  of 
the  mob.  He  said  the  demonstration  should  have  been 
made  by  remonstrance  to  the  board  of  directors  against 
granting  the  use  of  the  school  house  to  Burleigh.  That 
on  a  former  occasion  they  had  granted  the  use  of  the 
house  to  the  Colonization  Society  and  no  objection  had 
been  made  on  the  part  of  the  citizens.  He  contended 
both  sides  ought  to  be  heard,  for  the  information, of  the 
people  on  the  most  effectual  means  for  the  emancipation 
of  the  slave.  Some  of  the  rowdy  part  of  the  crowd  cried 
out  that  no  abolitionist  should  lecture  in  the  public 
school  house.  Friend  Warner  said  they  had  acted  in 
good  faith  in  the  matter.  They  had  made  application  to 
the  board  of  directors  for  the  use  of  the  house  for 
Charles  Burleigh  to  deliver  a  lecture  on  slavery,  and  it 
had  been  granted.  He  thought  they  should  have  been 
permitted  to  occupy  it  for  that  purpose,  but  as  there  was 
so  much  opposition  on  the  part  of  those  present,  they 
would  retire  to  the  Friends'  Meeting  House.  He  invited 
all  to  come  and  hear  the  speaker.  About  half  the  crowd 
followed  and  the  meeting  house  was  crowded.  Burleigh 
spoke  for  two  hours  on  the  evil  of  slavery  and  the  slave 
trade.  Many  of  his  hearers,  who  were  opposed  to  his 
speaking  in  the  school  house,  said  they  regretted  the 
occurrences  of  the  day-  and  desired  that  he  be  invited  to 
deliver  another  lecture  on  the  same  subject.  A  series  of 
meetings  were  provided  for,  and  Charles  Burleigh  for 
several  years  held  his  meetings  without  molestation.  He 
moved  his  family  to  Bristol  during  the  two  years  he  re- 
mained. He  frequently  addressed  the  people.  His  con- 
gregations were  large  and  respectable.     Many  who  op- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I9I 

posed  his  lecturing  in  the  school  house  became  his  warm- 
est friends.  His  intercourse  with  the  people  and  his 
open,  manly  demonstrations  against  the  evils  of  slavery 
did  much  in  creating  a  strong  anti-slavery  sentiment  in 
the  minds  of  the  citizens  of  Bristol  and  vicinity. 

From  the  late  William  Kinsey's  memoirs,  we  learn  that 
the  president  of  the  school  board  was  a  local  preacher  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  and  that  when  the  quarterly  con- 
ference considered  the  renewal  of  his  license,  objections 
were  made  to  the  passing  of  his  character  on  the  ground 
that  he  was  in  sympathy  with  the  Abolitionists,  and  had 
made  a  speech  in  favor  of  one  Charles  Burleigh,  speak- 
ing in  the  public  school  house  on  the  subject  of  "Ameri- 
can Slavery."  It  was  charged  in  the  quarterly  conference 
that  the  brother,  by  his  speech  and  action  in  the  matter, 
had  aided  in  a  breach  of  the  peace  and  desecration  of  the 
Lord's  Day,  and  there  was  much  feeling  manifested  on 
the  part  of  the  members,  some  contending  that  the  bro- 
ther had  not  been  guilty  of  any  impropriety  in  what  he 
had  said  or  done  on  that  occasion.  If  he  believed  slavery 
was  an  evil  he  had  a  right  to  say  so.  He  had  the  authori- 
ties of  the  church  to  sustain  him.  He  had  never  brought 
the  matter  before  the  church  in  any  speeches,  therefore 
this  conference  had  no  right  to  deprive  him  of  his  license. 
During  the  discussion  the  Elder  asked  the  brother  if  he 
believed  that  slavery  was  a  sin  under  all  circumstances. 
He  replied,  that,  as  he  must  give  an  account  to  God  of  all 
he  said  and  did,  he  believed  that  slavery  was  a  sin  against 
the  laws  of  God  and  humanity.  The  elder  said  he  would 
not  renew  the  license  of  any  man  who  entertained  such 
sentiments,  and  also  declined  to  put  the  question.  Some 
of  the  brethren  contended  that  the  motion  to  pass  his 
character  and  renew  his  license  was  properly  before  the 
conference  and  demanded  a  vote.  The  elder  said  there 
was  no  necessity  for  a  vote  on  passing  his  character,  as 
he  would  not  p^ive  him  a  license.  There  was  much  ex- 
citement and  bitter  controversy  on  the  subject.  The  bro- 
ther with  his  family  withdrew  from  the  church. 

Public   School  No.   2. — In    1852  the   school   house  on 
Wood  Street  being  inadequate  to  accommodate  the  chil- 


192  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

dren  of  the  town,  measures  were  taken  to  provide  for 
another  building.  A  lot  situated  on  the  east  side  of  Otter 
Street,  known  as  the  "Baptist  lot,"  was  purchased  at  a 
cost  of  $400.  In  1853  ^^  ^ct  of  Assembly  was  obtained, 
which  allowed  the  directors  to  borrow  $3,000,  and  to 
create  a  sinking  fund  for  the  extinguishment  of  the  debt 
within  fifteen  years.    A  tax  of  v$2,8oo  was  also  levied  for 


OLD    OTTER    STREET    PUBLIC    SCHOOL,    NOW    MOHICAN    HALL. 

the  purpose  of  paying  the  balance  of  claims  and  for  cur- 
rent expenses  of  the  school  year.  The  building  commitee 
consisted  of  J.  D.  Mendenhall,  E.  D.  Buckman  and  L.  M. 
Wharton.  Edmund  Lawrence's  bid  of  $4,400  was  ac- 
cepted.    The  corner  stone  was  laid  with  imposing  cere- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I93 

monies  in  July,  1853.  The  building  was  not  completed 
until  the  spring  of  1854.  A  primary  grade  school  was 
opened  in  the  lower  room  in  September,  1854,  with  Sarah 
H.  Davis  as  principal  and  Matilda  Swift  as  assistant.  On 
January  i,  1855,  ^  school  was  opened  in  the  upper  story 
to  accommodate  the  boys  who  were  employed  on  the 
canal  and  could  only  attend  school  in  the  winter.  It  was 
to  continue  from  month  to  month  as  the  board  might 
direct.  Samuel  A.  Wharton  was  employed  as  teacher, 
at  a  salary  of  $25.00  per  month,  payable  the  next  summer. 
In  July,  1856,  the  board  found  itself  deadlocked  over  the 
election  of  an  assistant  teacher  for  the  primary  grade, 
and  remained  so  for  two  months.  In  September,  when 
the  schools  opened,  the  increasing  demand  for  seats 
made  necessary  the  employment  of  two  assistant  teach- 
ers, instead  of  one.  In  this  manner  the  deadlock  was 
broken  and  Sarah  J.  Repsher  and  Phebe  Hibbs  were 
elected.  In  later  years  a  secondary  department  was 
established  in  the  upper  story  with  Miss  Repsher  as 
principal.  After  the  completion  of  the  Bath  Street  school 
building  in  1881,  this  building  was  sold  to  Mohican  Tribe, 
No.  127,  I.  O.  of  R.  M.,  and  is  now  known  as  Mohican 
Hall.  In  Bache's  history  of  Bristol,  published  in  1853, 
w^e  find  the  following  description  of  the  building 

''School  House  No.  2  is  a  handsome  Gothic  structure, 
of  light  sandstone,  built  in  broken  range  work,  and  paint- 
ed in  white;  finished  with  a  cupola;  in  all,  constituting 
one  of  the  handsomest  public  buildings  in  the  town.  It 
contains  all  the  modern  improvements  for  ventilation  and 
heating.  Its  dimensions  are  53  by  35  feet;  two  stories 
high.  The  interior  arrangement  is  for  a  school  room  32 
by  36  feet,  and  a  class  room  13  by  18  feet,  in  each  story; 
also  two  entrances  and  stairways,  as  a  means  of  egress  in 
case  of  accident,  such  as  has  occurred  at  various  times  in 
Philadelphia  and  New  York." 

It  was  in  this  building  that  the  author  received  the 
rudiments  of  an  education.  Around  the  old  school  house 
still  cluster  many  pleasant  memories.  The  following 
lines,  sirnple  and  crude  as  they  may  be,  will  no  doubt 
awaken  in  the  minds  of  many  old  time  schoolmates, 
memories  long  since  forgotten. 


194  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

School  Day  Memories. 

In  memory  I  travel  back, 

To  happy  days  of  yore, 
And  roam  about  in  childish  glee, 

Just  as  I  did  before. 

The  faces  of  my  old  schoolmates, 

Again  with  joy  I   see, 
While  some  now  gone  to  Heaven's  shore, 

Seem  beckoning  to  me. 

The  old  school  house  with  peaked  roof. 
Is  standing  just  the  same. 

But  some  I  met  within  its  walls. 
Now  tread  the  paths  of  fame. 

In  memory  I  see  again, 
The  wooden  pump  so  dear; 

That  stood  inside  the  old  schoolyard — 
So  often  out  of  gear. 

The  old  forge  too,  I  can  behold 
With  all  its  dirt  and  grime, 

Its  chimney  tall,  but  not  so  high, 
But  what  we  boys  can  climb. 

Methinks  I  see,  as  oft  before, 
A  schoolmate  climbing  high. 

While  we,  his  comrades,  stand  below, 
'Waiting  our  turn  to  try. 

Old  Bunker  Hill,  that  garden  spot, 
Where  Mother  Fiddle  ruled. 

And  kept  a  gun  to  scare  us  boys. 
So  often  was  she  fooled. 

And  Otter's  Creek  just  where  it  bends, 

I  walk  down  to  its  brim; 
And  view  again  that  sacred  spot. 

Where  we  boys  learned  to  swim. 

Beside  the  schoolyard  tall  and  straight. 

In    majesty    supreme, 
I  see  that  dear  old  buttonwood  tree, 

Of  which  I  often  dream. 

Its  spreading  branches  shelter  me, 

As  in  the  days  of  yore, 
I  cut  the  punk  from  its  gaping  side, 

As  I  often  did  before. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I95 

The  old  marsh  too,  with  all  its  mud 

Attracts   my    earnest   gaze. 
For   I   cannot  forget  its  charm. 

Through   all   my   passing   days. 

But  what  is  that?     A  crowd  of  boys, 

The  ice  is  weak  and  thin, 
And  Fred  breaks  through,  but  Joe  is  brave, 

And  quietly  pulls  him  in. 

Again  the  scene  is  changed  once  more, 

The  schoolyard  I  behold, 
While  underneath  my  feet  there  runs, 

A  sewer  small  and  cold. 

The  boys  are  lining  up  the  same, 

And  I  cannot  resist. 
So  take  my  place  along  with  them, 

The  last  upon  the  list. 

Then  down  upon  our  hands  and  knees, 

We  all  begin  to  crawl, 
And  through  the  sewer  one  by  one. 

We  squirm  with  many  a  bawl. 

From  Otter  Street  to  the  railroad  tracks, 

We  pass  beneath  the  ground, 
And  quickly  emerge  on  Goslin's  side 

With  one  triumphant  bound. 

And  thus  again  as  in  a  dream. 

Those    happy   days    I    see, 
As  God  in  wonder  turns  for  me, 

The  pages  of  memory. 

Each  dear  familiar  spot  to  me, 

Has  some  particular  charm, 
As  o'er  the  well-known  paths  I  tread, 

With  playmates  arm  in  arm. 

I   hear  the  merry  laughter  of 

My  schoolmates  at  their  play, 
And  join  again  in  childhood's  games. 

As  in  those  early  days. 

But  suddenly  a  shadow  comes, 

Like  some  bloodthirsty  knave. 
As  I  behold  the  forms  of  those 

Long  silent  in  the  grave. 


196  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

O,  memory;  thou  fickle  thing, 

To  tease  the  minds  of  men, 
And  from  the  heights  of  ecstacy 

To  dash  them  down  again. 

So  now  since  thou  hast  sought  to  clothe, 

My  thoughts  in   sombre   mood, 
I'll  ask  release,  and  thank  thee  well, 

Our  walk  has  done  me  good. 

Bristol  Fire  Company  No.  i. — The  action  which  led  to 
the  organization  of  Bristol  Fire  Company  No.  i,  was 
prompted  by  two  disastrous  fires,  one  of  which  consumed 
Albernathy's  storehouse  on  the  canal  basin,  and  the  other 
the  frame  houses  on  Mill  Street,  near  RadclifTe.  At  its 
first  meeting,  held  in  the  Town  Hall,  on  March  10,  1857, 
a  committee  consisting  of  H.  G.  Stelwagon,  C.  W.  Peirce, 
Jr.,  Dr.  J.  D.  Mendenhall,  L.  A.  Hoguet  and  A.  L.  Packer, 
was  appointed  to  make  inquiry  relative  to  the  purchase 
of  an  apparatus.  This  committee  succeeded  in  raising 
$1,800  by  public  subscription  and  placed  an  order  with 
John  Agdew,  of  Philadelphia,  to  build  a  new  fire  engine, 
to  cost  $950,  and  be  completed  in  six  months.  The  com- 
mittee also  ordered  500  feet  of  leather  hose.  Mr.  Agdew 
kindly  loaned  the  company  a  second-hand  engine  until 
the  new  one  was  completed.  At  the  same  meeting  the 
committee  was  authorized  to  purchase  a  lot  at  the  corner 
of  Wood  and  Market  Streets,  of  Ellen  Johnson,  for  $600, 
upon  which  to  erect  an  engine  house.  Subsequently  a 
hose  carriage  was  purchased  for  $400.  It  was  an  antique 
affair,  consisting  of  a  reel,  supported  by  two  heavy 
wheels,  with  a  short  tongue  or  pole  to  which  the  rope 
was  attached. 

The  first  officers  of  the  company  were  Lucius  H.  Scott, 
president;  A.  L.  Packer,  vice  president;  E.  D.  Buckman, 
secretary;  J.  K.  Wildman,  assistant  secretary;  Louis  A. 
Hoguet,  treasurer,  and  H.  G.  Stelwagon,  C.  W.  Peirce, 
Jr.,  H.  L.  Strong,  R.  W.  Brooks,  Joseph  B.  Bailey,  I.  S. 
Tomlinson,  W.  S.  Sulger,  John  Vanzant,  Elwood  Doron, 
Samuel  S.  Rue,  Edward  C.  Brudon,  Valentine  Booz, 
Nathan  A.  Gaskill,  Chas.  C.  Douglass  and  Robert  Pat- 
terson as  directors  or  engineers.    At  the  meeting  of  July 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I97 

7th,  a  committee  reported  that  the  charter  had  been  re- 
ceived and  was  in  the  possession  of  the  treasurer. 

On  December  23rd,  the  new  engine  arrived  and  the 
members  gave  a  short  street  parade  in  order  to  show  it  to 
the  people,  after  which  a  demonstration  of  its  working 
quaHties  was  given,  which  proved  entirely  satisfactory. 
The  first  fire  at  which  the  new  engine  was  in  service, 
occurred  about  12  o'clock  on  Thursday  night,  March  i8th, 
1858,  when  a  frame  stable  belonging  to  Jacob  Poole  was 
entirely  consumed  at  a  loss  of  $600.  On  the  same  night 
a  frame  dwelling  and  stable  owned  by  J.  Merrick  Brown, 
was  burned  and  also  two  houses,  owned  by  John  Davis 
and  Robert  Sanderson  were  partly  destroyed.  The  en- 
gine was  in  service  for  three  hours  and  threw  two  streams 
of  water  constantly. 

In  1868  the  members  became  disheartened  over  the 
apathy  in  the  community,  with  regard  to  the  support  of 
the  company,  and  a  special  meeting  was  called  to  con- 
sider the  advisability  of  handing  over  the  engine  to  the 
borough  authorities,  but  it  was  reported  at  this  meeting 
that  council  expressed  a  willingness  to  assist  in  defraying 
the  expenses  of  the  company,  and  the  members  gained 
fresh  courage,  deciding  to  struggle  on  in  the  good  work. 
Several  disastrous  fires  occurred  this  year,  notably  St. 
Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  Wm.  Young's  hay  press, 
the  Farmers'  Hotel  stables  on  Bath  Street,  Budd  Doble's 
training  stables  and  the  Bristol  Woolen  Mfg.  Co.'s  mill. 

In  February,  1872,  ninety-two  new  members  were 
elected  to  membership.  A  new  era  appeared  to  be  estab- 
lished and  on  March  5th  the  committee  reported  that 
they  had  purchased  the  hose  carriage  formerly  owned  by 
the  Diligent  Hose  Company,  of  Philadelphia,  for  $500, 
and  800  feet  of  new  leather  hose  at  75  cents  per  foot. 
The  carriage  and  hose  had  been  housed  on  February  21st 
and  taken  out  for  exhibition  and  parade  on  Washington's 
birthday. 

The  agitation  for  the  purchase  of  a  steamer  began  in 
July,  1872,  and  in  a  short  time  $2,000  were  raised  by  sub- 
scription. On  October  ist,  the  order  was  placed  for  a 
third  size  Silsby  steam  fire  engine,  to  be  delivered  in 
thirty  days.     On  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  a  parade  was 


198  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

held,  the  steamer  being  drawn  by  the  horses  of  Good  Will 
Fire  Company,  of  Trenton,  which  were  kindly  loaned  for 
the  occasion.  The  steamer  cost  $5,000,  and  was  paid  for 
by  a  cash  payment  of  $2,000,  a  note  of  $1,180  at  one  year, 
note  of  $1,120  at  two  years  and  a  note  of  $1,060  at  three 
years,  and  John  R.  Boyd  was  elected  engineer.  The  bell 
was  purchased  in  1873,  having  been  formerly  the  Union 
Street  Station  bell  at  Philadelphia,  weighing  1,423 
pounds.  In  1874,  at  a  fire  at  the  canal  stables,  on  the 
property  of  Joseph  Allen,  the  steamer  was  damaged  by 
having  the  smoke  stack  and  headlight  torn  off  by  striking 
the  trestle  under  the  railroad  bridge,  but  by  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  flour  barrel  for  the  smoke  stack,  good  service 
was  done  and  the  injury  was  repaired  after  reaching  the 
engine  house. 

On  October  6,  1874,  the  use  of  the  meeting  room  was 
granted  to  W.  H.  P.  Hall  and  others  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  new  hose  company.  This  was  the  first 
step  in  the  formation  of  America  Hose,  Hook  and  Lad- 
der Company  No.  2,  and  was  followed  by  formally  rent- 
ing the  room  to  that  company  free  of  charge,  and  the  loan 
to  them  of  the  Fame  hose  carriage,  previously  bought 
of  Dr.  Schenck,  with  a  line  of  hose.  This  hose  carriage 
was  afterwards  sold  to  the  new  company  and  500  feet 
of  hose  was  presented  to  them  to  fill  the  reel. 

On  February  13,  1875,  the  members  attended  the  trial 
of  the  first  fire  plug  in  the  town,  one  having  been  placed 
at  the  corner  of  Radcliflfe  and  Walnut  Streets  by  the 
newly  organized  Bristol  Water  Company,  and  also  put 
the  steamer  in  service  from  the  river  and  from  the  plug, 
the  result  being  very  satisfactory,  both  as  to  the  plug 
stream  and  the  line  from  the  steamer. 

The  company  participated  in  the  parade  at  the  com- 
pletion of  the  house  of  America  Hose,  Hook  and  Ladder 
Company  No.  2,  and  attended  Divine  service  at  the  M.  E. 
Church  on  invitation  of  the  pastor,  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Cook, 
on  October  loth.  As  evidence  of  the  fact  that  the  serv- 
ices of  the  company  were  appreciated  by  the  ladies  of  the 
borough,  a  large  and  handsome  flag  was  presented  on 
May  4th,  1876,  together  with  a  beautiful  banner  of  blue 
and  gold  bearing  an  appropriate  inscription. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  I99 

On  February  22nd,  1877,  the  hand  engine  which  had 
been  kept  in  good  order  and  repair,  was  turned  over  to 
the  Fire  Brigade  of  the  Bristol  Woolen  Mills  and  housed 
in  the  brigade's  building  with  appropriate  ceremonies, 
after  a  street  parade,  in  order  to  afford  facilities  for  the 
extinguishing  of  fires  on  the  west  side  of  the  canal.  The 
same  year  a  wooden  bell  tower  was  erected  and  the  bell 
removed  from  the  cupola  and  placed  in  the  tower.  On 
December  6th,  1877,  the  company  with  the  steamer  and 
hose  carriage  took  part  in  a  parade  in  Burlington,  cele- 
brating the  bi-centennial  of  the  settlement  of  that  city. 
In  August,  1875,  permission  was  granted  the  Burgess  and 
Town  Council  to  place  a  third  story  upon  the  engine 
house,  to  be  used  as  a  council  chamber. 

On  October  22,  1882,  the  company  took  part  in  the 
parade  and  celebration  in  Philadelphia  of  the  Bi-Centen- 
nial  Association  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  on  August  8,  1885,  the  company's  bell  was  tolled  for 
the  memorial  service  of  General  U.  S.  Grant.  On  March 
15,  1886,  a  pair  of  horses  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $500, 
with  harness  costing  $25.  A  brick  stable  33  by  24  feet, 
by  12  feet  high,  was  erected  and  joined  to  the  engine 
house.  On  September  15,  1887,  the  company  took  part 
in  the  Philadelphia  parade  in  honor  of  the  Constitutional 
Centennial.  The  team  proving  unremunerative,  the 
horses  were  sold  in  April,  1888,  for  $350,  and  arrange- 
ments made  with  the  fire  committee  of  council  for  haul- 
ing the  steamer  to  and  from  a  fire. 

On  July  10,  1890,  the  purchase  of  leather  hose  was 
discontinued,  and  400  feet  of  rubber-lined  canvas  hose 
were  bought.  A  two- wheel  hose  cart  was  bought  of  the 
Silsby  Company  in  May,  1891,  at  a  cost  of  $166.25,  and 
a  pole  for  drying  hose  was  placed  in  the  lot  adjoining 
the  building.  On  April  7,  1897,  the  fortieth  anniversary 
of  the  company  was  duly  celebrated,  and  the  same  year 
the  company  participated  in  a  parade  at  the  reunion  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and 
Durrell's  Battery,  held  in  Bristol  on  September  16,  and 
also  housed  a  new  hose  wagon  with  swinging  harness  and 
other  modern  appurtenances. 

On   October  21,   1899,   the  company  responded  to  an 


200  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

invitation  from  Good  Will  Hose  Company  No.  3,  to 
assist  in  the  housing  of  their  new  combination  hose  and 
chemical  wagon  and  on  June  6,  1901,  the  company  joined 
the  State  Fire  Association.  During  1903  a  hose  tower 
was  erected  and  furnished  with  all  necessary  conveniences 
for  drying  hose.  In  1904  a  horse  was  purchased  for  draw- 
ing the  hose  wagon.  On  May  19,  1906,  the  company  turned 
out  to  take  part  in  the  ceremony  of  housing  the  new 
chemical  engine  of  Good  Will  Hose  Company  No.  3,  and 
the  raising  of  a  flag  at  the  Hall  of  Mohican  Tribe,  No. 
127,  Imp.  O.  of  R.  M. 

On  April  8,  1907,  the  company  celebrated  its  fiftieth 
anniversary  with  a  banquet  in  Pythian  Hall.  Of  those 
who  constituted  the  company  in  1857,  ^^t  three  are 
known  to  be  alive  today:  William  S.  Sulger,  I.  S.  Tom- 
linson  and  G.  Morris  Dorrance.  During  the  existence 
of  the  company  it  has  fought  successfully  about  300  fires. 
Last  year  (1910),  the  company  purchased  an  automobile 
hose  wagon,  with  chemical  apparatus  combined,  being 
the  first  company  to  introduce  an  automobile  fire  ap- 
paratus in  Bristol. 

Washington  Hall. — This  three-storied  brick  edifice, 
situated  at  the  westerly  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Walnut 
Streets,  was  erected  by  a  subscription  stock  company, 
expressly  with  the  laudable  design  of  supplying  that 
much  wanted  desideratum — a  public  hall  adapted  to  the 
general  convenience  of  the  people,  and  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  several  popular  societies  of  the  day,  which 
had  sprung  into  existence  among  the  citizens  of  Bristol 
and  vicinity. 

The  first  meeting  which  was  held  for  the  purpose  of 
building  this  hall,  convened  June  17,  1846;  and  it  was 
then  proposed  to  confine  the  subscriptions  to  the  building 
among  the  Odd  Fellows  (Hopkins  Lodge,  No.  87),  for 
whose  accommodation  it  was  in  the  outset  originally  de- 
signed. But  after  consideration  among  the  members,  and 
consultation  with  the  citizens,  the  proposition  was  modi- 
fied to  allow  any  one  to  buy  shares  from  the  original 
projectors  and  stockholders,  provided  the  same  was  first 
offered  to  Hopkins  Lodge,  and  declined.. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  20I 

In  1847  the  building  was  completed,  and  since  then 
has  accommodated  a  number  of  societies  and  organiza- 
tions, and  for  several  years  was  the  headquarters  of  the 
old  Franklin  Building  Association,  instituted  November 
7,  1853.  April  7,  1848,  the  charter  was  granted,  under 
which  Trustees  were  elected  annually.  The  lower  story 
which  for  many  years  has  been  the  home  of  "The  Bucks 
County  Gazette,"  was  in  its  early  days  a  "lecture  room," 
and  was  transiently  rented  for  all  purposes  of  public 
interest  or  pastime.  Some  years  after  the  building  was 
erected,  Hopkins  Lodge,  No.  87,  absorbed  all  the  stock 
of  the  company  and  had  the  title  transferred  to  them, 
thus  winding  up  the  affairs  of  said  company. 

Building  Associations. — It  is  not  often  in  a  manufac- 
turing town  that  so  many  of  the  operatives  own  the 
houses  they  occupy  as  is  the  case  in  Bristol.  This  condi- 
tion of  things,  so  desirable  and  necessary  in  every  well- 
ordered  community,  has  been  brought  about  mainly 
through  the  agency  of  building  and  loan  associations. 
The  second  organization  of  this  character  in  the  state,  the 
Bristol  Building  Association,  came  into  existence  Febru- 
ary 22,  1847,  when  Joshua  V.  Buckman  was  elected  presi- 
dent, Anthony  Swain  secretary,  Robert  C.  Beatty  trea- 
surer, and  Lewis  P.  Kinsey,  Charles  W.  Peirce,  Charles 
T.  Iredell,  Walter  Laing,  Joshua  Fell,  Jonathan  Milnor, 
John  Dorrance,  L.  A.  Hoguet  and  William  Hauk,  direc- 
tors. The  plan  was  simple;  the  funds  first  realized 
amounted  to  $400,  which  was  loaned  in  sums  of  half  that 
much  to  the  person  offering  the  highest  premium.  Mort- 
gages on  real  estate  and  the  shares  of  the  borrower  Avere 
held  as  collateral  security.  The  principal  and  interest  on 
the  debt  were  paid  in  monthly  instalments  of  one  dollar  a 
share  and  one  dollar  for  every  two  hundred  borrowed. 
This  association  was  closed  in  1859.  Two  others  had, 
meanwhile,  come  into  existence,  the  "Franklin"  and  the 
"Union."  The  former  was  organized  November  7,  1853, 
with  Anthony  Swain  secretary  and  Robert  C.  Beatty 
treasurer.  The  "Union"  was  established  about  the  same 
time  with  Andrew  Gilkeson  secretary.    The  "Home"  and 


202  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

"Cottage"  building  associations  were  started  in  1867  and 
1870  respectively,  the  principal  promoters  being  William 
Hauk,  L.  A.  Hoguet  and  Samuel  Swain.  The  Bristol 
Building  Association  was  incorporated  in  December, 
1866,  having  organized  August  6th  the  previous  year 
with  William  Hauk,  president;  J.  V.  Buckman,  secretary, 
and  I^.  A,  Hoguet,  treasurer.  The  Union  Building  and 
Loan  Association  was  organized  June  8,  1874,  with  the 
following  officers:  President,  Jonathan  Milnor;  secre- 
tary, Samuel  Swain;  treasurer,  Charles  T.  Iredell.  The 
Fidelity  Building  Association  was  organized  February 
8,  1885,  and  incorporated  March  26,  1885.  Original  offi- 
cers :  President,  James  Wright ;  secretary,  A.  Weir  Gil- 
keson;  treasurer,  Robert  W.  Rogers.  This  was  the  first 
association  in  Bristol  to  adopt  the  instalment  plan  of 
paying  premiums.  The  Merchants  and  Mechanics' 
Building  Association  was  organized  October  21,  1885, 
with  Charles  W.  Peirce  president,  John  C.  Stuckert,  sec- 
retary and  Dr.  Howard  Pursell  treasurer.  The  "Bristol," 
"Union,"  "Fidelity"  and  "Merchants  and  Mechanics'," 
are  in  active  and  prosperous  operation  at  the  present 
time. 

A  New  Charter  Obtained  for  the  Borough. — At  a  gen- 
eral town  meeting,  held  July  26,  1850,  Samuel  Allen,  Dr. 
Benjamin  Malone,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  Anthony  Swain, 
William  H.  Swift,  Isaac  Van  Horn,  Pugh  Dungan,  Wil- 
liam M.  Downing,  Gilbert  Tomlinson  and  William  Bache 
were  constituted  a  committee  to  prepare  a  draft  of  a  new 
charter,  which,  Avith  slight  amendments,  was  passed  by 
the  legislature  and  approved  February  15,  185 1.  It  in- 
creased the  number  of  councilmen  to  nine,  but  abolished 
the  office  of  second  burgess.  The  burgess  and  council,  in 
meeting  on  the  25th  of  February,  1853,  took  into  con- 
sideration the  propriety  of  asking  such  amendments  in 
the  borough  charter  as  shall  secure  to  the  corporation  the 
power  and  control  in  opening  and  extending  streets,  and 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  port  in  building  and  extending 
wharves  and  landings.  It  was  determined  that  these 
privileges  should  be  asked ;  and  an  Act  was  passed  at  the 
session  of  1853,  giving  burgess  and  council  the  necessary 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  203 

powers.  The  council  was  increased  to  ten  members  in 
1863,  and  to  twelve  in  1878,  when  the  borough  was  divid- 
ed into  three  wards  for  election  purposes.  Today  it  num- 
bers twenty  members,  the  borough  being  divided  into 
five  wards.  Prior  to  1863  all  officers  were  elected 
annually;  but  subsequently  the  burgess  and  councilmen 
were  elected  for  two  years,  two  of  the  latter  being 
chosen  every  year  from  each  Avard.  Within  the  last  few 
years  the  burgess  has  been  elected  for  three  years.  The 
borough  records  now  extant  begin  with  the  year  1730. 
The  official  acts  of  the  town  fathers  reflect  much  that  is 
of  interest  in  connection  with  village  politics  in  the  early 
history  of  the  borough.  The  ferry,  encroachments  upon 
the  streets,  and  local  nuisances  were  the  most  fruitful 
sources  of  legislation.  Public  morals  were  jealously 
guarded.  In  1769,  when  it  appeared  that  crowds  were 
accustomed  to  collect  at  the  Baths  on  Sunday  and  be- 
come disorderly,  an  ordinance  was  passed  forbidding 
any  one  to  loiter  in  that  vicinity;  and  in  the  following 
year  the  custom  of  collecting  on  the  street  corners  was 
severely  censured.  It  was  disorder  incident  to  the  fairs 
that  resulted  in  their  discontinuance.  The  penalty  for 
Sabbath-breaking  was  confinement  in  the  workhouse  five 
days  at  hard  labor  upon  an  allowance  of  bread  and  water. 
Election  days  were  some  times  disorderly;  and  that  this 
might  not  occur,  the  council  decreed  in  175 1,  that  the 
])olls  should  be  opened  at  i  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and 
close  precisely  at  6  in  the  evening. 

The  Bristol  Gas  Light  Company. — The  Bristol  Gas 
Light  Company  was  incorporated  March  29,  1856,  and 
organized  with  Lucius  H.  Scott,  president,  and  Charles 
W.  Peirce,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  manufacture  of 
gas  was  begun  July  30,  1857.  Several  miles  of  pipe  have 
iDcen  laid  and  the  conveniences  of  gas  light  brought  with- 
in the  reach  of  all.  A  few  years  ago  the  company  sold 
out  its  interest  to  the  Public  Service  Corporation  of 
New  Jersey.  The  price  of  gas  at  this  time  (1911)  is  $1.50 
per  1,000  cubic  feet. 

14 


204  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

Bristol  in  1853. — Wm.  Bache,  writing  in  1853,  thus 
summarizes  Bristol's  industrial  and  business  interests  at 
that  time: 

''At  present  the  greater  amount  of  business  in  general 
storekeeping  is  carried  on  in  Mill  Street ;  which  now  has 
twelve  retail  stores  for  the  sale  of  groceries,  provisions, 
clothing,  dry  goods  and  housekeeping  articles  generally. 
Besides  these,  there  are  now,  on  the  same  street,  two 
fancy  dry  goods  and  trimming  stores,  two  leather  and 
shoe-finding  stores,  three  tin  and  sheet  iron  manufac- 
tories, three  millinery  and  two  tailoring  establish- 
ments, three  harness  manufactories,  three  boot  and  shoe 
makers,  a  grain  and  a  saw  mill,  two  hat  manufacturers, 
one  smith-shop,  two  drug  and  medicine  stores,  two  tobac- 
conists, one  soap  and  candle  manufactory,  one  cabinet- 
ware  maker,  a  printing  office,  a  watchmaker  and  jeweler, 
two  bakers  and  one  public  house. 

''On  Radcliffe  Street  we  have  three  or  four  stands  for 
general  store-keeping,  one  millinery  and  one  ladies'  shoe 
store,  a  confectionery,  two  public  houses,  a  few  shop- 
keepers, and  a  boat  yard. 

"Bath  Street  is  at  present  chiefly  occupied  with  private 
residences.  The  property  on  the  upper  side,  however, 
has  been  rendered  very  valuable  for  landings  on  the  canal 
and  on  a  small  inlet  of  sufficient  capacity  to  admit  canal 
boats.  Two  extensive  lumber  and  coal  yards  are  upon 
this  inlet,  which  yards  open  on  Bath  Street. 

"On  Cedar  Street,  one  small  grocery  store,  one  black- 
smith shop,  one  wheelwright  shop  and  a  livery  stable. 

"On  Wood  Street  are  two  small  grocery  shops,  an  iron 
foundry,  one  ladies'  shoe  shop,  one  blacksmith  and  one 
paint  shop. 

"On  Market  Street,  one  blacksmith  shop,  one  paint 
shop,  one  cooper  shop,  one  ladies'  shoe  shop  and  two 
livery  stables. 

"At  Mulberry  and  Pond  Streets  is  erected  Hibbs,  Fry 
and  Company's  machine  shops  for  the  manufacture  of 
clover  hullers  and  cleaners  invented  and  patented  by 
Jonathan  Hibbs,  one  of  the  partners.  Also  on  Mulberry 
street  is  carried  on  the  business  of  grain  cradle  making. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  205 

"On  Walnut  Street,  several  boot  and  shoe  manu- 
factories. 

"On  Buckley  Street  has  recently  been  erected  Strang 
&  Morgan's  malleable  iron  and  tilt-hammer  works,  now 
going  into  active  operation.  The  business  of  rope  mak- 
ing is  also  carried  on  in  this  street. 

"In  Otter  Street  have  recently  been  erected  one  wheel- 
wright shop  and  a  pump-maker's  shop.  Otter  Street  is 
becoming  one  of  the  most  favorable  localities  for  the 
erection  of  shops  for  carrying  on  the  mechanic  arts,  par- 
ticularly such  as  are  more  generally  required  by  our 
neighboring  farmers.  A  small  grocery  store  has  recently 
been  opened  on  this  street,  required  by  the  rapid  advance- 
ment in  building  up  the  lots  opened  for  improvement  in 
that  neighborhood  in  185 1. 

"On  Linden  Street  is  erected  an  extensive  and  complete 
coach,  wheelwright,  blacksmith,  painting  and  coach- 
trimming  establishment. 

"A  large  amount  of  the  river  front,  and  sites  on  the 
canal,  are  occupied  by  coal  operators,  and  some  portions 
for  boat  building. 

"Along  the  line  of  the  canal,  within  the  limits  of  the 
town,  are  several  extensive  stables,  smith  shops,  a  coop- 
er's shop,  and  stores  adapted  to  the  wants  of  watermen." 

We  do  not  claim  in  the  above  recapitulation  to  have 
noticed  all  the  industrial  pursuits  of  the  town ;  while 
enough  has  been  presented  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the 
borough  as  to  its  business  character  in  1853. 

Disastrous  Fire;  How  it  Was  Fought. — The  compiler 
is  indebted  to  our  fellow-townsman,  Charles  M.  Foster, 
for  the  following  article  which  gives  an  interesting  ac-  : 
count   of  one   of  the   most   disastrous    fires   which   took 
place  in  Bristol  prior  to  the  period  of  the  Civil  War: 

About  I  o'clock  in  the  morning,  on  March  4th,  1857, 
the  citizens  of  the  town  were  awakened  by  the  ringing 
of  the  town  house  bell  and  the  cry  of  fire.  The  town 
was  small  in  comparison  with  its  size  today,  having  about 
600  houses  and  a  population  of  3,000  souls.  No  fire 
apparatus  was  owned  by  the  town,  and  when  the  town 
house  bell  sounded  the  alarm  all  the  men  and  boys  re- 


206  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

sponded  promptly  and  with  the  aid  of  buckets  assisted 
in  extinguishing  the  flames. 

On  this  particular  occasion,  fire  had  broken  out  in  the 
shoe  store  of  David  R.  Jamson,  on  Mill  Street,  which 
stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Sarah  Smith. 
Between  it  and  W.  P.  Wright's  store  building,  which 
was  then  occupied  as  a  trimming  store  by  Mrs.  Lydia 
Lukens  and  her  two  daughters,  was  an  alley  which  alone 
saved  the  Lukens'  home  from  destruction.  A  few  days 
before,  snow  had  fallen  to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight  inches, 
being  followed  by  a  warm  rain,  but  on  the  day  of  the 
fire  the  weather  had  cleared  with  a  strong  northwest  wind 
blowing  and  was  very  cold.  The  fire  quickly  spread  to 
the  next  house  on  the  east  side,  occupied  by  William 
Scull  as  a  dwelling  and  oyster  house,  thence  to  the  little 
office  of  Joseph  B.  Pennington,  justice  of  the  peace, 
adjoining,  and  continued  to  spread  to  the  next  house,  in 
which  was  kept  a  tobacco  store  by  John  Vanzant.  Mr. 
Scull  had  in  his  home  thirty-two  silver  half-dollars,  which 
he  was  unable  to  secure  on  account  of  the  rapid  progress 
of  the  fire,  but  at  the  end  of  the  conflagration,  they  were 
all  found  in  the  cellar  in  good  condition. 

Bristol  having  no  fire  apparatus,  water  was  obtained 
from  a  well  which  was  located  in  the  yard  back  of  a 
restaurant  on  the  opposite  side  of  Mill  Street.  This 
pump  had  been  put  in  order  only  the  day  before  the  fire 
by  our  fellow  townsman,  the  late  Joseph  Tomlinson. 
Two  lines  of  men  were  formed  across  Mill  Street,  one  of 
which  passed  the  full  buckets  and  the  other  returned  the 
empty  ones.  These  men  worked  unceasingly  until  9 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  fingers  of  many  being  almost 
frozen  and  were  thawed  out  in  warm  water. 

A  New  York  passenger  train  was  detained  at  Bristol 
station  by  the  freezing  of  the  supply  pipe  which  carried 
the  water  from  the  tender  to  the  locomotive  boiler,  and 
the  passengers  were  obliged  to  seek  the  Delaware  House 
for  shelter  and  refreshments.  They  were  greatly  aston- 
ished at  the  work  accomplished  by  the  fire  fighters,  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  fire  engine.  The  roofs  of  the  store  prop- 
erty at  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Radclifife  Streets,  adjoining 
the  burning  buildings  and  the  Delaware  House  were  cov- 


A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  20J 

ered  with  frozen  snow  and  slush,  which  prevented  them 
from  catching  fire. 

The  steamboat,  Thomas  A.  Morgan,  which  made  daily 
trips  to  and  from  Philadelphia,  was  lying  at  the  Mill 
Street  wharf,  and  when  the  fire  broke  out  Captain  Jona- 
than Cone  sent  her  over  to  Burlington  for  a  fire  engine. 
The  Burlington  firemen  very  kindly  responded  and  came 
over  with  the  old  Fulton  hand  engine,  not  being  in  pos- 
session of  a  steamer.  The  engine  was  placed  on  the  for- 
ward deck  of  the  steamboat  and  the  manhole  plate  on  the 
Morgan's  boiler  removed  and  the  suction  pipe  run  into 
the  hot  water  in  the  boiler.  The  fire  hose  was  run  up  the 
hill  to  the  fire  and  the  water  turned  on,  but  the  cold  was 
so  intense  that  the  hose  was  frozen  stiff,  rendering  it 
useless.  All  the  men  did  noble  work,  however,  and 
finally  the  fire  was  extinguished.  During  the  fire  some 
one  broke  into  Nathan  Tyler's  store  cellar,  at  the  corner 
of  Mill  and  Radcliflfe  Streets,  and  carried  off  hams  and 
other  provisions. 

A  few  days  after  the  fire  a  meeting  of  citizens  was 
called  and  Fire  Company  No.  i  was  organized.  It  was 
also  decided  to  place  an  order  for  a  fire  engine  and  to 
purchase  the  ground  upon  which  the  present  fire  house 
now  stands.  The  builders  of  the  new  engine  kindly 
loaned  the  company  a  second  hand  engine  to  use  until 
the  new  one  was  completed. 

A  Singular  Accident. — Away  back  in  the  fifties  of  the 
last  century  a  singular  railroad  accident  occurred  at  the 
Bristol  station.  The  old  freight  depot,  which  stood  on 
Pond  Street,  was  used  in  those  days  as  a  sort  of  round- 
house and  train  shed.  In  close  proximity  to  the  southern 
end  of  the  freight  station  stood  a  frame  dwelling  house 
occupied  by  William  Stewart  and  his  family.  At  a  point 
opposite  Mulberry  Street,  was  a  turn-table  and  the  cars 
which  entered  the  freight  house,  ran  over  this  turntable. 
On  the  day  when  the  accident  occurred  a  passenger  coach 
was  standing  in  the  freight  house.  Through  the  negli- 
gence of  some  one,  the  switch  was  left  open  and  an  ex- 
press train  coming  down  from  Trenton,  ran  through  the 
open    switch,    crossed    the    turn-table    and    entering   the 


208  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

freight  house,  struck  the  passenger  coach  which  had  been 
stored  therein,  with  such  foce  as  to  drive  its  end  through 
the  wall  of  the  building,  across  the  open  space  and 
through  the  side  of  the  Stewart  dwelling.  When  the  car 
stopped,  its  forward  end  hung  suspended  over  the  table 
where  the  Stewart  family  were  eating  their  dinner.  No 
one  in  the  Steward  home  was  injured,  although  Mrs. 
Steward  suffered  severely  from  shock.  The  fireman  and 
greaser  of  the  express  train,  however,  Avere  seriously 
injured,  both  of  whom  suffered  the  amputation  of  a  foot. 

County  Elections. — The  elections  for  county  officers 
were  held  at  Bristol  until  the  county  seat  was  removed 
to  Newtown,  in  1725,  when  they  were  changed  to  the 
latter  place  and  continued  there  for  many  years.  The 
first  division  of  the  county  into  election  districts  was  by 
the  court  in  1742,  but  no  places  were  fixed  for  the  polls. 
Bristol,  Falls  and  Middletown  formed  the  first  district. 
The  county  was  divided  into  two  election  districts  by 
the  act  of  June  14th,  1777.  Bristol  was  included  in  the 
second  district  and  the  elections  were  held  at  Newtown. 
In  1794,  for  the  greater  convenience  of  the  voters  the 
county  was  divided  into  five  election  districts.  Bristol, 
Falls  and  Bensalem  comprised  the  fifth  district  and  the 
elections  were  held  in  the  old  court  house,  on  Cedar 
Street,  Bristol.  By  1818  all  the  townships  in  the  county 
had  become  separate  election  districts,  with  the  exception 
of  Bristol  Township  and  Borough,  whose  elections  were 
held  in  the  old  court  house. 

Caleb  N.  Taylor,  of  Bristol  Township,  Only  Delegate 
From  Pennsylvania,  Who  Voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln, 
in  the  Republican  National  Convention  of  i860. — At  the 

centennial  anniversary  celebration  of  the  birth  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  held  in  the  Colonial  Theatre,  February  12, 
1909,  by  the  school  children  of  Bristol  Borough,  Charles 
E.  Scott,  the  cashier  of  the  Farmers'  National  Bank,  in 
an  address,  told  how  in  i860,  Caleb  N.  Taylor,  of  Bristol 
Township,  went  as  a  delegate  to  the  National  convention 
in  Chicago  and  was  the  only  one  of  all  the  Pennsylvania 
delegation  who  refused  to  be  tied  by  the  unit  rule  and 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  209 

would  not  vote  for  Simon  Cameron  for  President,  but 
cast  his  vote  for  Abraham  Lincohi,  who  was  eventually 
nominated. 

Mr.  Scott  said  in  part :  ''There  is  a  historical  incident 
of  much  local  interest  connected  with  the  anniversary 
we  are  celebrating  today,  of  Avhich  probably  not  a  half- 
dozen  persons  in  this  building  are  aware,  and  most  of 
those  who  knew  of  it  have  forgotten  long  ago ;  but  I  want 
to  transmit  it  to  you,  young  people,  that  you  may  not 
only  bear  it  in  mind  as  a  matter  of  local  pride,  but  that 
it  may  lead  you  to  take  a  greater  interest  in  each  recur- 
ring anniversary  of  our  martyred  president,  when  you 
know  that  you  have  a  peculiar,  right  to  do  so. 

''Do  you  know  that  this  town  and  Township  of  Bristol, 
in  this  County  of  Bucks,  is  the  only  spot  in  all  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania  that  can  most  fitly  commemorate  the 
birth  of  President  I^incoln?  When  the  Chicago  conven- 
tion met  in  i860,  to  choose  a  nominee  for  the  presidency 
of  these  United  States,  Caleb  N.  Taylor,  of  Bristol  Town- 
ship— and  I  might  say  of  Bristol  Borough,  for  he  was 
the  largest  holder  of  real  estate  in  the  borough;  after- 
wards president  of  our  Bristol  bank  and  our  member  of 
Congress — was  selected  as  delegate  from  this  Congres- 
sional District,  then  embracing  the  counties  of  Bucks  and 
Lehigh.  It  was  afterwards  formed  from  Bucks  County 
and  the  Twenty-third  ward  of  Philadelphia,  and  was  not, 
as  at  present,  composed  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  coun- 
ties. His  alternate  being  a  gentleman  from  Lehigh  Coun- 
ty,, who  could  not  attend  the  convention,  Benjamin  J. 
Taylor,  of  Bristol,  was  appointed  alternate  in  his  stead, 
and  accompanied  Mr.  Taylor  to  Chicago. 

"When  our  delegate  arrived  in  Chicago,  he  was 
attracted  by  a  man  of  thoroughly  western  characteristics, 
who  was  looked  up  to  by  his  fellows  as  a  born  leader;  as 
a  man  of  excellent  judgment  and  considerable  attain- 
ments. This  man  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Illinois,  and 
a  number  of  delegates  intended  to  place  his  name  before 
the  convention.  After  personally  judging  of  his  qualifi- 
cations, and  diligent  inquiry  as  to  the  outlook,  for  Mr. 
Taylor  was  a  thorough  investigator,  and  never  went  into 
anything  blind,  whether  in  politics  or  business,  he  de- 


2IO 


A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


cided  to  vote  for  him  when  a  ballot  should  be  taken,  and 
did  so  from  first  to  last;  the  entire  balance  of  the  dele- 
gation casting  their  votes  for  Simon  Cameron,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, though  knowing  full  well  that  Cameron  had 
not  a  ghost  of  a  chance  to  succeed. 

"Therefore,  I  say,  that  this  is  the  only  spot  in  this 
whole  state  that  was  honored  by  having  one  of  its  citi- 
zens among  the  foremost  in  placing  Lincoln's  name  be- 
fore the  people  of  the  United  States  for  election  to  that 
high  office." 


A  HISTORY  O:^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  211 


EPOCH    VIL 


PERIOD  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


Lincoln  Greeted  by  Bristolians. — February  21st,  1861, 
was  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  in  Bristol.  President- 
elect Abraham  Lincoln  had  left  his  western  home  a  few 
days  before,  and  started  on  his  long  journey  to  Washing- 
ton, via  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Harrisburg  and  Balti- 
more. The  news  had  reached  Bristol  that  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  in  New  York  and  would  pass  through  here  in  the 
afternoon  en  route  to  Philadelphia.  A  large  crowd  gath- 
ered at  the  station  and  to  their  great  surprise  the  train 
stopped  at  the  depot.  Surging  around  the  rear  platform 
of  the  last  car,  in  which  Mr.  Lincoln  and  his  family  were 
riding,  they  made  the  welkin  ring  with  their  cheers  for 
the  new  president.  As  the  tall  form  of  Lincoln  appeared 
in  the  doorway,  Frank  Woodington,  Sr.,  bounded  up  the 
steps  of  the  car,  and  grasping  the  President's  hand  said : 
''Mr.  Lincoln,  when  you  get  to  be  President,  enforce  the 
laws."  Lincoln  gave  Woodington's  hand  a  hearty  shake 
and  said :  "That  I  will  try  to  do,  my  friend."  Wooding- 
ton was  followed  by  a  colored  man  and  lastly  by  Gilbert 
Tomlinson.  The  train  was  moving  as  the  latter  gentle- 
man sprang  to  the  ground,  but  Lincoln  stood  in  the  door- 
way waving  his  hand  to  the  cheering  crowd,  until  he 
disappeared  from  view. 

A  Bristol  Girl  Unfurls  First  Confederate  Flag. — In  an 

old  scrap  book  belonging  to  Charles  M.  Foster,  was  found 
the  following  newspaper  clipping,  which  shows  that  Miss 
Tyler,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Tyler,  who  for  many  years 
was  a  prominent   resident   of   Bristol,   but   who   at   the 


212  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  left  the  town  and  cast  his 
lot  with  the  South,  was  accorded  the  much  to  be  regretted 
privilege  of  unfurling  the  first  Confederate  Flag: 

'*At  a  little  after  noon  yesterday,"  says  the  Montgomery 
(Alabama)  Advertiser,  of  the  6th  instant  (1861),  "the 
Congress  adopted  a  flag  for  the  Confederacy,  which  may 
be  described  thus :  Three  bars,  each  in  width,  one-third 
of  the  depth  of  the  flag;  the  upper  and  lower  bars  red, 
and  the  middle  one  white ;  a  blue  field  in  the  upper  left- 
hand  corner,  with  seven  stars  in  a  circle.  The  secretary 
of  the  Congress  was  ordered  to  have  a  flag  prepared  and 
hoisted  on  the  Capitol  immediately ;  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Commander  Ingraham,  and  assisted  by  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Sayre,  late  of  the  United  States  Marine 
Corps,  the  ensign  of  the  Federation  was  prepared  and 
ready  for  hoisting  by  a  little  before  4  o'clock  P.  M.,  when 
it  was  run  up  by  Miss  Tyler  (a  granddaughter  of  ex- 
President  Tyler),  in  the  presence  of  a  considerable  crowd. 
The  Blues  saluted  the  flag  with  seven  guns,  and  Mr. 
Canning's  fine  band  from  the  theatre,  furnished  excellent 
music  for  the  occasion." 

Bristol's  Patriotism  at  Sumter*s  Fall. — Our  fellow- 
townsman,  Charles  M.  Foster  contributes  this  interesting 
article,  in  which  he  tells  of  that  memorable  day  in  Bristol, 
Avhen  on  the  morning  news  was  received  of  the  surrender 
of  Fort  Sumter,  the  people  gave  expression  to  their 
patriotic  feelings  by  displaying  flags : 

''April  14,  1861,  was  a  memorable  day  in  Bristol.  I 
was  employed  by  my  father,  James  V.  Foster,  in  the  retail 
dry  goods  and  grocery  business  at  No.  33  Mill  Street. 
At  that  time  my  father  was  serving  as  a  juryman  in  the 
United  States  Court  at  Philadelphia.  I  had  been  reading 
every  day  with  much  interest  of  the  conduct  of  the  seces- 
sionists in  the  South,  and  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  and 
the  Steamer,  Star  of  the  West,  which  had  been  sent  with 
supplies  for  Major  Anderson. 

''Being  extra  busy  on  account  of  father's  absence,  I  had 
not  looked  over  the  morning  paper,  but  on  going  out  on 
the  pavement  and  looking  across  the  river  towards  Bur- 
lington, I  saw  the  large  flag  flying  from  the  Beldin  Hotel, 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  213 

and  knew  it  meant  something  out  of  the  ordinary,  as  flags 
were  not  numerous  and  not  often  displayed  except  on 
Independence  Day,  Washington's  birthday,  and  during 
political  campaigns.  As  I  stood  looking  at  the  flag, 
James  S.  Fine  came  along,  and  drawing  his  attention  to 
it,  I  asked  him  if  he  knew  what  it  meant.  He  replied : 
*Yes,  have  you  not  read  the  morning  papers  yet?  Major 
Anderson  has  been  compelled  to  surrender  Fort  Sumter 
to  the  rebels,  and  people  all  over  the  land  are  showing 
their  patriotism  by  displaying  the  stars  and  stripes.' 

'*My  young  heart  was  stirred  with  the  news  which  I 
had  heard  and  immediately  going  to  the  housetop,  flung 
my  flag  to  the  breeze.  At  that  time  few  flags  were  owned 
by  Bristol  people  and  on  national  holidays  but  two  were 
to  be  seen,  the  one  on  the  Delaware  House  and  the  other 
my  own.  Charles  E.  Scott,  who  is  cashier  of  the  Farm- 
ers' National  Bank,  had  erected  a  nice  flag  staff  on  his 
father's  store  on  Radcliffe  Street,  and  was  the  first  man 
to  unfurl  his  flag  on  that  memorable  morning  and  I  was 
the  next.  We  were  follo\\red  by  Lewis  F.  Pratt,  proprie- 
tor of  the  Delaware  House,  and  Henry  G.  Booz,  who 
resided  at  the  corner  of  Cedar  and  Walnut  Streets.  Then 
flags  were  swung  across  the  streets  by  Captain  James 
McClain,  of  Franklin  Street,  and  William  H.  White,  of 
Bath  vStreet. 

"The  demand  for  flags  became  so  great  that  I  was  kept 
busy  for  several  days  giving  information  how  to  make 
them  and  to  rig  poles  for  their  display,  which  information 
it  was  a  great  pleasure  for  me  to  give.  The  larger  cities 
were  unable  to  supply  the  demand  for  bunting  and  other 
material  was  brought  into  use.  Samuel  Cabeen,  of  the 
firm  of  Bostwick  &  Cabeen,  whose  place  of  business  was 
at  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Pond  Streets,  purchased  a  lot 
of  red,  white  and  blue  delaine  which  made  very  handsome 
flags.  A  fine  one  of  that  material,  twelve  by  eighteen 
feet,  was  soon  displayed  from  the  roof  of  their  building. 
One  of  the  same  dimensions  was  displayed  from  a  high 
pole  on  the  cupola  of  Dorrance  &  Doran's  flour  mill.  W. 
H.  H.  Fine's  Hotel  at  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Bath  Streets 
run  up  a  fourteen-foot  flag.  W.  H.  Evans  swung  a  nice 
twelve-foot  flag  across  the  street  from  his  store,  corner 


214  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

of  Mill  and  Wood  Streets.  The  employees  of  W.  K. 
Kelly's  iron  foundry,  on  Wood  Street,  purchased  a  flag 
for  their  building.  The  scholars  of  the  Wood  Street 
and  Otter  Street  public  schools  collected  money  for  flags, 
which  were  displayed  from  staffs  on  each  of  the  buildings. 

"On  April  i8,  i86i,  a  mast  and  topmast,  115  feet  high, 
was  erected  at  the  intersection  of  Mill  and  Radcliffe 
Streets,  and  a  handsome  flag  twenty  by  thirty-six  feet 
was  unfurled  to  the  breeze  with  appropriate  ceremonies, 
the  Rev.  P.  J.  Cox,  of  the  Wood  Street  M.  E.  Church, 
making  the  presentation  speech.  The  day  was  bright  and 
very  warm,  with  a  fine  southerly  breeze.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  sudden  rain  and  wind  storm  from  the  West 
and  before  the  flag,  which  a  few  minutes  before  had  been 
unfurled  with  loud  cheers  and  hurrahs,  could  be  hauled 
down,  the  wind  tore  out  the  top  of  the  pole  where  the 
halyards  were  fastened,  and  the  flag  thus  released,  was 
carried  over  the  Delaware  House  towards  the  river.  The 
lower  end  of  the  flag,  however,  still  clung  to  the  halyards, 
and  it  was  promptly  secured  without  further  damage. 
The  next  day  it  was  floating  as  proudly  as  ever  in  the 
breeze. 

"Mrs.  Lewis  T.  Pratt,  who  stood  by,  remarked  it  was 
rather  a  bad  omen,  indicating  a  severe  struggle,  but  as 
the  flag  was  not  lost,  its  enemies  would  finally  be  de- 
feated and  the  flag  and  nation  preserved. 

"The  flag  continued  to  fly  nearly  every  day  and  was 
allowed  to  wear  away  without  being  repaired,  so  that  in 
three  years  there  was  little  left  of  it  except  the  union.  It 
was  finally  loaned  to  an  entertainment  out  of  Bristol  and 
was  never  returned.  I  forgot  to  mention  that  the  flag 
was  made  by  Mrs.  Hal  Martin  and  other  ladies  of  the 
town,  each  star  bearing  the  name  of  the  person  who  made 
it.  The  mast  and  flag  were  both  paid  for  by  patriotic 
citizens  of  Bristol  and  vicinity. 

"Toward  the  close  of  the  war,  when  the  fall  of  Rich- 
mond seemed  certain,  Mrs.  Cornelius  C.  Pratt,  aided  by 
others,  collected  $100  by  subscription  and  purchased  a 
new  flag,  twenty  by  thirty  feet,  and  placed  it  in  charge 
of  a  committee  consisting  of  John  H.  Jones,  Charles  H. 
Pratt  and  myself,  with  positive  orders  not  to  loan  it,  but 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  215 

to  use  it  only  for  national  purposes.  These  instructions 
were  strictly  adhered  to,  except  on  the  occasion  of  the 
two-hundredth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  city  of 
Burlington,  when  it  was  promptly  returned  in  good 
condition. 

"The  mast  was  struck  by  lightning  during  the  summer 
of  1879,  on  the  4th  day  of  August,  and  so  badly  damaged 
that  it  was  cut  down.  The  flag  was  placed  in  the  custody 
of  H.  Clay  Beatty  Post,  No.  73,  G.  A.  R.  I  find  there  were 
a  few  others  who  displayed  the  flag  during  those  exciting 
days  which  followed  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  name- 
ly: C.  C.  Douglass'  stove  and  tin  store  on  Mill  Street,  S. 
S.  Rue,  on  Wood  Street;  John  Dorrance,  on  Radclifife 
Street ;  Captain  Burnett  Landreth,  at  Bloomsdale ;  Cap- 
tain Jackson,  on  Pond  Street;  J.  W.  Hall,  on  Wood 
Street;  J.  H.  Chambers,  on  Mill  Street;  J.  Merrick 
Brown,  corner  of  Market  and  Pond  Streets ;  John  Wright, 
Mill  Street,  near  canal,  Robert  C.  Beatty,  on  Radcliffe 
Street.  Captain  Joseph  H.  Hutchinson,  on  Beaver  Street, 
erected  a  high  mast  and  topmast  on  his  lawn,  the  flag 
when  run  to  the  top,  being  seen  for  several  miles  around. 
A  large  and  beautiful  flag  made  of  flannel  was  swung 
from  the  store  of  John  Davis  across  Radcliffe  Street,  near 
the  Hollow  Bridge.  Many  other  citizens,  imbued  with 
feelings  of  patriotism,  displayed  smaller  flags  from  the 
windows  of  their  dwellings. 

"Thus  was  the  spark  of  patriotism  ignited  in  this 
locality,  by  the  firing  of  the  first  gun  in  the  Civil  War; 
a  patriotism  that  sent  our  brave  men  to  the  front  when 
Lincoln  called  for  aid ;  a  patriotism  that  sustained  them 
during  those  bloody  years  of  warfare ;  that  sent  many  of 
them  to  martyrs'  graves,  cheering  the  old  flag;  that 
enabled  men  like  Michael  Dougherty  to  withstand  the 
horrors  of  Confederate  hell  holes,  like  Libby  and  Ander- 
sonville  prisons;  that  made  heroes  like  Henry  Clay 
Beatty;  that  brought  desolation  to  many  homes;  but 
through  it  all  a  patriotism  that  rose  above  partisanship, 
and  with  but  one  thought,  that  of  preserving  the  integrity 
of  the  nation,  gave  to  our  town  a  long  list  of  noble 
patriots,  whose  names  we  honor  and  whose  memory  will 
never  fade." 


2l6  A  HISTORY  O]?  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Young  America  Aroused. — The  spirit  of  patriotism 
aroused  by  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  affected  even  the  chil- 
dren of  the  town,  and  they  were  not  slow  in  giving  public 
expression  to  their  patriotic  feelings.  On  Monday,  April 
29,  the  children  of  Public  Schools  Nos.  i  and  2,  made  an 
effective  display,  in  a  juvenile  parade,  with  banners  bear- 
ing appropriate  mottoes,  displayed  in  their  ranks.  The 
ceremonies  commenced  by  unfurling  to  the  breeze,  at 
School  House  No.  i,  a  beautiful  American  flag,  8  by  12 
feet,  when  J.  Magill,  Esq.,  was  called  to  the  stand  and 
delivered  a  patriotic  address,  the  ceremonies  closing  by 
the  children  uniting  in  singing  the  Star-Spangled  Banner. 

The  young  cavalcade,  with  their  superiors,  then  re- 
paired to  School  House  No.  2,  where  a  similar  flag  was 
raised  and  addresses  delivered  by  Amos  Briggs,  Esq., 
Colonel  Montgomery  and  Caleb  N.  Taylor,  Esq.,  closing 
with  three  cheers  for  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  Thus,  by 
the  patriotic  fervor  of  childhood,  was  fuel  added  to  the 
already  glowing  fires  of  patriotism. 

Patriotic  Enthusiasm. — Before  the  flag  was  lowered  on 
Fort  Sumter,  a  company  roll  call  for  the  formation  of  an 
infantry  corps  was  opened  in  Bristol  by  Wesley  M.  Lee, 
Esq.,  and  on  the  day  preceding  the  fall  of  Sumter,  thir- 
teen able-bodied  men  had  signed  the  call  for  volunteers. 
A  meeting  was  held  in  the  town  hall  on  the  evening  of 
April  13,  1861,  at  7:30  o'clock,  at  which  time  contribu- 
tions amounting  to  $100  were  pledged,  and  others  con- 
jointly promised  that  $1,000  should  be  raised.  The  com- 
pany, when  organized,  was  to  be  drilled  by  Colonel  W. 
R.  Montgomery,  a  resident  of  the  town. 

Then  followed  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter  and  the 
old  town  was  on  fire  with  patriotism.  The  drum  and  fife 
were  heard  in  the  streets  by  day  and  night.  To  the  credit 
of  the  town,  the  muster  roll  of  the  company  then  forming 
soon  reached  eighty,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  young  men. 
A  few  of  the  citizens,  with  praiseworthy  consideration, 
resolved  to  give  encouragement  to  the  patriotic  move- 
ment by  at  once  starting  a  subscription  for  the  purpose 
of  clothing  these  volunteers  and  sustaining  their  families 
in   their  absence — a  considerable  sum   was   immediately 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  21/ 

raised.  The  work  of  preparing  flannel  underclothes  was 
commenced  by  some  forty  ladies,  in  the  basement  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  The  Masonic  Fraternity  promptly 
offered  the  spacious  lower  room  of  their  handsome  hall, 
to  the  new  company,  as  a  place  for  drill,  and  there,  three 
times  a  day,  the  men  assembled  for  that  purpose. 
Colonel  Montgomery  took  a  great  interest  in  the  com- 
pany, and  was  busily  employed  day  and  night,  in  making 
them  familiar  with  the  manual  of  arms. 

About  the  first  of  May  the  enrolled  men  went  by  rail 
to  Philadelphia  for  inspection,  and  with  the  exception  of 
three,  who  were  struck  off,  passed  a  most  satisfactory 
and  commendable  inspection.  It  was  intimated  that  they 
might  look  forward  to  being  accepted  as  a  part  of  Penn- 
sylvania's reserve  force  under  command  of  Colonel  Wm. 
Mann.  The  enrollment  of  the  company  was  augmented 
by  the  signing  of  several  recruits  from  Tullytown.  An 
election  was  held,  according  to  military  rule,  and  William 
Kinsey,  Robert  Patterson  and  John  Dorrance  were  duly 
sworn  and  affirmed  as  an  election  board,  by  Jos.  B.  Pen- 
nington, Esq.  W.  S.  Thompson  was  unanimously 
elected  captain,  H.  Clay  P>eatty,  first  lieutenant, 
and  S.  J.  La  Rue,  second  lieutenant.  The  company  was 
named  the  ''Montgomery  Guards  of  Bristol,"  in  honor  of 
their  fellow  citizen,   Colonel   Wm.  R.   Montgomery. 

Subsequently  the  ladies  of  Bristol  presented  to  the 
Montgomery  Guards  a  suit  of  silk  colors,  to  be  carried 
with  them  to  the  tented  field.  The  Rev.  Cox,  pastor  of 
the  Bristol  M.  E.  Church,  made  the  presentation  speech, 
which  was  highly  patriotic.  Lieutenant  H.  Clay  Beatty 
accepted  the  colors  in  behalf  of  the  company  in  a  neat  and 
pertinent  speech,  glowing  with  patriotism.  A  revolver 
was  presented  to  Captain  Thompson,  and  also  to  First 
Lieutenant  H.  Clay  Beatty,  and  Second  Lieutenant  S.  J. 
La  Rue ;  each  of  the  gentlemen  replied  in  appropriate 
terms. 

Py  the  time  the  company  was  fully  equipped,  drilled 
and  ready  for  service,  the  women  of  Bristol  had  made 
358  substantial  woolen  garments.  Among  those  active  in 
the  work  was  an  honored  matron  of  84,  Mrs.  Mary  Street, 
also  another,  nearly  as  far  advanced,  Mrs.  Rebecca  James, 
Avho  with  equal  zeal,  embarked  in  the  labor  of  love. 


2l8  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Sword  Presentation. — Soon  after  the  formation  of  the 
Montgomery  Guards,  WilHam  Kinsey,  Esq.,  made  a  loan 
presentation  to  Captain  Thompson,  of  the  handsome 
sword  and  sash  formerly  in  the  possession  of  his  son. 
Lieutenant  Samuel  Kinsey,  deceased,  attached  to  the 
United  States  Artillery  Corps.  The  friends  of  Lieutenant 
Samuel  J.  La  Rue,  a  few  weeks  later  presented  him  with 
a  handsome  sword;  and  subsequently  a  superb  sword 
and  belt  costing  $30,  was  presented  to  Lieutenant  H.  C. 
Beatty,  by  his  personal  friends  of  Bristol.  The  presenta- 
tion was  made  on  the  part  of  the  donors,  at  the  Masonic 
Hall,  by  the  Rev.  P.  J.  Cox,  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

The  Montgomery  Guards  Inspected. — This  fine  body 
of  our  citizen  soldiery,  who  at  the  time  of  their  informal 
inspection  on  the  i8th  ult.,  to  be  mustered  into  Colonel 
Mann's  regiment,  attracted  marked  encomiums  for  their 
soldiery  appearance,  again  repaired  to  Philadelphia  on 
Wednesday,  May  29,  1861,  leaving  Bristol  on  board  the 
Steamer  Warner,  and  on  arriving  in  the  city  marched  to 
the  rendezvous,  Girard  House,  for  inspection.  The  com- 
pany numbered  88,  including  the  officers — and  were  fully 
inspected  by  Dr.  H.  H.  Smith.  Seven  were  rejected  for 
want  of  height,  two  for  other  causes,  and  one  after  in- 
spection declined  serving  for  the  full  term  of  three  years 
or  during  the  war.  With  these  exceptions  the  company 
passed  an  acceptable  inspection. 

The  company  then  returned  to  Bristol,  with  orders  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  proceed  to  Camp  Wash- 
ington, at  Easton,  to  join  the  nine  companies  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Wm.  B.  Mann,  which  had  preceded 
them,  where  the  regiment  was  to  be  instructed  in  the 
school  of  the  soldier  by  well  disciplined  officers  and 
teachers. 

The  Montgomery  Guards  left  on  Saturday,  June  i, 
1861,  at  7:50  A.  M.,  by  way  of  the  C.  &  A.  and  B.  D. 
Railroad  for  Easton ;  but  no  arms  or  accoutrements  were 
furnished  to  the  company  before  their  arrival  at  the  camp. 
(Bache's  Index.) 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  2I9 

Bristors  Three  Military  Companies. — During  the  Civil 
War,  Bristol  raised  three  military  companies,  one  of 
which  fought  through  the  war  from  1861-65,  making  an 
honorable  record. 

Company  I  (Montgomery  Guards),  Third  Regiment 
Pennsylvania  Reserves,  of  Bristol,  was  recruited  during 
the  month  of  April,  1861,  by  Captain  W.  S.  Thompson,  a 
veteran  of  the  Mexican  War.  Upon  his  promotion  to 
lieutenant-colonel,  First  Lieutenant  Henry  C.  Beatty  was 
elected  captain.  He  was  killed  in  August,  1862,  at  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  Samuel  J.  La  Rue  becoming 
captain  and  Samuel  Beatty,  first  lieutenant.  During  the 
term  of  service,  nine  men  of  the  company  were  killed 
outright,  and  eight  died  of  wounds  and  disease. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  1861,  President  Lincoln  issued  a 
proclamation  calling  upon  the  Northern  States  for  75,000 
men  for  ninety  days,  the  quota  of  Pennsylvania  being 
16,000.  Steps  were  immediately  taken  in  Bristol  to  form 
a  company,  but  before  it  was  accomplished  the  state 
quota  was  filled. 

There  being  several  thousand  Pennsylvanians  re- 
cruited in  excess  of  the  quota.  Governor  Curtin  was 
authorized  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  dated  May  15th, 
1861,  to  organize  a  State  Military  Corps,  to  be  called  the 
Reserve  Volunteer  Corps  of  Pennsylvania,  composed  of 
thirteen  regiments  of  infantry,  one  regiment  of  cavalry, 
and  one  regiment  of  light  artillery.  The  volunteers  were 
assembled  during  the  last  weeks  of  May  in  several  camps 
of  instruction,  where  they  were  formed  into  regiments. 

The  Bristol  Company  was  assigned  to  the  Third  Regi- 
ment of  Reserves,  of  which  N.  G.  Sickles  was  elected 
colonel,  and  William  S.  Thompson,  captain  of  the  Bristol 
Company,  was  elected  lieutenant-colonel. 

After  serving  for  about  two  months  in  the  state  service, 
the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Washington,  arriving  there 
on  the  evening  of  July  25th,  and  was  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  on  the  27th  of  July.  Its  first  en- 
gagement was  at  Dranesville,  on  the  20tli  of  October. 

The  regiment,  after  participating  in  the  Peninsular 
Campaign,  was  moved  up  to  Manassas  to  support  Gen- 
eral Pope,  where  it  was  in  action  at  Gainesville  and  Sec- 
15 


220  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

end  Bull  Run,  and  afterwards  took  part  in  the  Antietam 
campaign.  Following  this,  the  regiment  participated  in 
the  attack  on  Fredericksburg,  and  the  campaign  in  West 
Virginia,  under  General  Crook.  The  regiment  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  in  July,  1864. 

Company  I,  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Reynold's  Division 
of  Pennsylvania  Militia,  was  organized  in  1862,  and 
Burnet  Landreth  was  elected  captain.  The  company, 
as  originally  organized,  numbered  sixty  men.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  brief  history  of  the  object  of  the  formation 
and  story  of  the  short  service  of  the  militia  of  1862: 

On  the  loth  of  September,  the  rebels  having  crossed 
to  the  northern  bank  of  the  Potomac,  Governor  Curtin, 
of  Pennsylvania,  authorized  by  President  Lincoln  and 
General  Orders  No.  35  and  36,  called  for  50,000  men. 
Two  provisional  regiments  of  militia  went  forward  next 
day,  followed  up  by  others  as  organized.  Fifteen  regi- 
ments, ten  days  later,  were  concentrated  at  Hagerstown, 
Maryland,  ten  regiments  at  Boonsboro,  and  the  other 
twenty-five  regiments  were  on  the  march,  or  in  state  of 
preparation,  making  50,000  men  in  all,  constituting  what 
was  officially  termed  the  Militia  Division.  This  was 
cornmanded  by  Major-General  John  F.  Reynolds,  who 
was  detached  from  the  second  corps  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  to  mould  the  new  force  into  shape. 

The  battle  of  Boonsboro  was  fought  on  the  14th  of 
September,  and  the  battle  of  Antietam  was  fought  on  the 
i6th  and  17th.  By  the  19th  the  rebels  had  retreated  to 
Virginia.  On  the  24th  orders  were  issued  for.  the  dis- 
charge of  the  militia  after  two  weeks'  service.  Because 
of  the  retreat  of  the  rebel  army,  none  of  the  militia  force 
was  called  upon  to  go  into  action,  but  it  was  a  narrow 
pinch,  as,  had  the  Northern  Army  failed  to  have  stopped 
the  rebels'  advance  the  militia  would  have  gotten  into  it 
with  both  feet. 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  Governor  Curtin  by  General  Mc- 
Clellan.  thanking  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  for  his 
energetic  action  in  calling  out  the  militia  and  placing 
them  in  the  field,  McClellan  adds  :  ''Fortunately  circum- 
stances render  it  impossible  for  the  Army  to  set  foot 
upon   the   soil   of   Pennsylvania,   but   the   moral    support 


CAPTAIN  BURNET  LANDRETH. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  221 

rendered  the  army  was  none  the  less  mighty.  In  the 
name  of  the  Army  and  for  myself,  I  again  tender  you  an 
acknowledgment  for  your  patriotic  cause.  The  manner 
in  which  the  people  responded  to  the  call  no  doubt  exer- 
cised a  great  influence  upon  the  enemy." 

These  50,000  militia  were  not  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  or  the  State  service.  There  was  no  time 
to  spend  over  the  formalities  of  muster,  the  men  were 
wanted  too  quickly,  wanted  to  make  a  demonstration, 
and  were  accepted  on  the  enrollment  lists  of  the  captains. 
Nearly  two  years  later  the  captains  were  sent  pay  rolls  in 
quadruple,  on  which  were  made  out  the  names  of  their 
men,  who,  on  the  second  of  June,  1864,  were  paid  by  the 
clerks  of  Colonel  B.  W.  Bruce,  United  States  Paymaster, 
of  the  District  of  Baltimore. 

Company  G,  Forty-third  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Ninety-Day  Volunteer  Militia,  in  1863;  Third  Brigade, 
Franklyn's  Second  Division,  Dana's,  Couch's  Army  of 
the  Susquehanna,  was  organized  by  the  selection  of  Bur- 
net Landreth,  captain.  Following  is  a  brief  history  of 
some  incidents  connected  with  the  formation  and  services 
of  the  company. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  Secretary  of  War  Stanton  created 
two  new  military  departments.  First,  that  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, under  Major-General  Darius  N.  Couch,  trans- 
ferred from  the  second  corps,  this  department  compre- 
hending everything  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and  Mary- 
land, north  of  the  Potomac ;  second,  that  of  the  Monon- 
gahela,  under  Major-General  W.  T.  Brooks,  comprehend- 
ing Western  Pennsylvania,  Western  Virginia  and  part  of 
Ohio.  Preparations  were  immediately  made  to  organize 
army  corps  for  these  two  new  divisions. 

On  the  15th  of  June,  President  Lincoln  called  for  100,- 
000  men  to  serve  for  six  months,  but  enlistments  were 
slow.  The  people  seemed  to  doubt  if  the  rebels  really 
intended  to  invade  the  North,  but  on  the  24th  and  25th 
of  June  the  entire  rebel  army  crossed  the  Potomac.  On 
the  26th  of  June,  Governor  Curtin,  with  the  approval  of 
President  Lincoln,  and  under  General  Order  No.  43, 
issued  a  proclamation  calling  for  60,000  men  for  ninety 
days.      To   this   call    thirty-eight    regiments    of   infantry. 


222  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

three  troops  of  calvary,  and  ten  batteries  of  artillery  were 
brigaded,  principally  in  the  district  of  General  Sigel. 
Of  these  men  31,000  were  assigned  to  the  Army 
of  the  Susquehanna,  and  5,000  to  the  Army  of  the 
Monongahela.  One-half  of  the  entire  force  were  men 
who  had  already  seen  service  in  the  field.  In  addition  to 
the  31,000  Pennsylvanians  in  the  Army  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, were  6,000  men  from  New  York  and  500  from 
New  Jersey. 

In  the  Department  of  the  Susquehanna  only  one  regi- 
ment of  the  ninety-day  men  came  in  contact  with  the 
enemy,  this  being  the  Twenty-seventh,  under  Colonel 
Frick,  who  lost  nine  men  in  the  defense  of  Columbia 
bridge  on  the  24th  of  June.  The  other  regiments  were 
formed  too  late  to  be  of  any  use  at  Gettysburg,  but  had 
Lee  after  Gettysburg,  made  a  stand  at  Williamsport 
Ford,  then  the  ninety-day  men  would  have  been  put  into 
the  game.  The  rebels  recrossed  the  Potomac  on  the  13th 
and  14th  of  July. 

Part  of  the  ninety-day  men  were  distributed  along  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac  from  Harper's  Ferry  up  to  Cum- 
berland, others  relieved  men  of  the  Sixth  corps,  in  charge 
of  prisoners,  while  others  were  sent  into  the  coal  regions 
of  Pennsylvania  to  quell  a  threatened  insurrection.  The 
Forty-third  was  stationed  along  the  Potomac  near  Dam 
No.  5,  not  far  from  Williamsport  Ford,  special  care  being 
given  to  the  preservation  of  the  canal  locks,  which  it  was 
thought  the  rebels  might  destroy. 

In  the  Monongahela  district  three  of  the  ninety-day 
regiments  were  very  active  in  the  ten-day  chase  and  final 
capture,  near  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  on  the  24th,  of  the 
rebel  leader, .  Morgan,  who,  with  2,000  horsemen  raided 
across  the  State  of  Ohio. 

The  Forty-third  Regiment,  numbering  931  men,  was 
one  of  the  six  forming  the  Third  Brigade,  Second  Divi- 
sion of  Couch's  Corps.  The  Regiment  was  commanded 
by  Colonel  W.  W.  Scott,  formerly  a  captain  in  the  Twen- 
ty-fourth Pennsylvania.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Arnold, 
Major  Petrican,  and  Adjutant  Newlin  were  all  ex-ofiBcers 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  all  had  been  wounded. 

The  Bristol  Company,  designated  as  ''G,"  or  the  ninth 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  223 

company,  numbering  eighty-two  men,  furnished  two  offi- 
cers for  the  regimental  staff.  Assistant  Surgeons  Potts 
and  Ward,  and  Quartermaster  Harrison,  also  Drum 
Major  Pettit,  and  Fife  Major  Harkins.  The  captain  of 
Company  G  was  elected  major,  but  declined  in  favor  of 
the  next  highest  candidate,  Avho  was  a  veteran  officer  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  company  included  twen- 
ty-four veterans  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  one  lieuten- 
ant, three  sergeants,  two  corporals  and  nineteen  privates. 
Some  companies  of  the  regiment  were  nearly  altogether 
veterans. 

Company  G  contained  many  representative  citizens 
of  the  town  of  Bristol,  and  County  of  Bucks,  and  some 
wealthy  men.  Of  these  the  most  picturesque  individu_al, 
and  only  privileged  character,  was  the  Hon.  Caleb  N. 
Taylor,  who  held  a  pass  from  Secretary  of  War  Stanton, 
which  document  gave  him  passage  through  any  line  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  would  disappear  for  days 
at  a  time  and  return  with  a  wagon  load  of  provisions, 
which  were  for  every  man  as  was  the  contents  of  his 
pocketbook. 

Company  G  included  two  commissioned  officers,  four 
non-commissioned  officers  and  seven  privates,  who  had 
the  previous  year,  served  in  Company  i.  Seventeenth 
Militia.  In  fact,  Company  G  grew  out  of  Company  I,  as 
the  latter  company,  by  frequent  drills,  had  been  kept 
together,  the  officers  having  been  mustered  and  commis- 
sioned for  two  years  in  the  State  service.  All  the  regi- 
ments of  the  ninety-day  men  were  well  armed,  uniformed 
and  organized,  and  if  they  had  been  put  on  the  firing  line, 
would  have  done  as  well  as  any  other  half-green  force. 

Eight  of  the  thirty-eight  regiments  were  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  but  thirty  other  regi- 
ments doing  the  same  duty  outside  the  borders  of  the 
States  of  Maryland,  Ohio  and  West  Virginia,  served 
along  under  State  muster. 

After  the  thirty  State  mustered  regiments  were  dis- 
charged from  State  service,  it  was  proposed  to  muster  in 
to  the  United  States  service  and  muster  out  companies 
rolls,  so  regular  United  States  discharges  could  be  given, 
but  in  the  rush  of  military  business  during  war  times 


224  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

this  was  never  done.  The  men,  however,  by  order  of  the 
Pension  Bureau,  were  given  a  "pensionable  status,"  and 
three  men  of  Company  G  obtained  pensions  for  injuries 
received  while  on  duty. 

All  the  officers  and  men  of  this  regiment  were  mus- 
tered in  and  mustered  out  of  the  State  service,  but  they 
were  all  sworn  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
from  which  to  this  day  they  have  never  been  released. 
(From  writings  of  Captain  Burnet  Landreth,  Sr.) 

The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  St.  James'  P.  E.  Church.— 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  in  1861,  the 
ladies  of  St.  James'  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  organ- 
ized what  was  known  for  four  years  subsequently  as 
*'The  Ladies'  Aid  Society,"  founded  for  the  collection  of 
clothing  and  delicacies  for  the  soldiers  at  the  front.  This 
Society,  though  started  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  was 
greatly  augmented  by  the  women  of  other  congregations 
of  the  town,  their  united  efforts  resulting  in  the  dispatch- 
ing of  an  enormous  quantity  of  underclothing  sent  prin- 
cipally to  the  United  States  Hospital  at  Point  Lookout, 
Md.,  which  was  in  charge  of  Surgeon  Stonelake,  once  a 
resident  of  Bristol.  Mrs.  David  Landreth  was  president 
of  the  Society  for  the  four  years  of  its  operation.  These 
ladies  received  hundreds  of  the  most  pathetic  letters  of 
thanks  from  wounded  soldiers,  both  Union  and  Rebel. 
(Contributed  by  Captain  Burnet  Landreth.) 

Captain  Henry  Clay  Beatty. — Captain  Henry  Clay 
Beatty  was  the  son  of  Robert  C.  Beatty,  a  former  cashier 
of  the  Farmers'  National  Bank  of  Bucks  County.  He 
commenced  the  study  of  law  with  the  late  Anthony 
Swain,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Bucks  County  bar,  in 
1854,  and  finished  his  course  in  the  law  office  of  Charles 
Gibbons,  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  early  part  of  1857.  He 
took  his  degree  in  the  Law  School  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  soon  afterward.  Mr.  Gibbons,  speaking  of 
him  after  his  death,  said :  "He  was  an  earnest  and  in- 
dustrious student,  and  at  the  time  of  his  admission  to  the 
Bar  was  well  read  in  the  law.  He  remained  with  me  as 
long  as  he  practiced  his  profession,  to  which  he  was 
almost  entirely  devoted,  and  in  which  he  was  eminently 


CAPTAIN  HENRY  CLAY  BEATTY. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  225 

successful.  He  loved  the  truth,  and  no  one  ever  found 
him  a  hair's  breadth  out  of  its  latitude  or  longitude  under 
any  circumstances." 

When  the  call  was  made  by  our  state  authorities  for 
the  fifteen  regiments  known  as  the  Pennsylvania  Re- 
serves, Mr.  Beatty  volunteered  his  services  for  the  war 
and  received  a  lieutenant's  commission  in  Company  I  of 
the  Third  Regiment.  Captain  Thompson,  who  then  com- 
manded that  company,  was  elected  lieutenant  colonel  of 
the  regiment,  and  Mr.  Beatty  was  promoted  to  the  cap- 
taincy, which  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was 
with  the  Reserves  in  all  their  toilsome  and  suffering 
experiences,  and  at  the  battles  before  Richmond  where, 
thrice  deciminated  by  disease,  they  covered  themselves 
with  glory.  During  the  first  day's  battle  Captain  Beatty 
was  in  the  hospital,  where  he  had  been  confined  by  an 
exhaustive  sickness  for  some  days.  But  weak  and  wasted 
as  he  was,  he  left  his  bed  and  was  at  the  head  of  his 
company  in  all  the  battles  that  followed  except  the  last 
one. 

At  the  battle  of  White  Oak  Swamp  he  received  a  ball 
in  the  leg,  early  in  the  action,  but,  debilitated  and  wound- 
ed as  he  was,  he  remained  on  the  field  at  his  post  of  duty 
until  the  end  of  the  battle.  On  the  next  day,  having 
reached  the  James  River,  he  went  down  to  Fortress  Mon- 
roe, had  the  ball  extracted  from  his  leg  and,  declining  to 
remain  in  the  hospital,  immediately  rejoined  his  regi- 
ment. He  was,  however,  in  no  condition  for  active  serv- 
ice, and  was  sent  home  on  furlough  to  recruit  his  health. 
He  spent  a  short  time  with  his  family  in  Bristol,  and  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  his  furlough  returned  to  report 
himself  for  duty. 

On  the  day  after  he  left  Philadelphia  to  rejoin  his 
regiment  his  uncle,  Robert  B.  Cabeen,  placed  in  the 
hands  of  his  law  instructor,  Charles  Gibbons,  Esq.,  an 
open  letter,  addressed  tb  Governor  Curtin,  from  Colonel 
Sickles,  who  commanded  the  regiment.  It  was  a  volun- 
tary testimonial  of  the  heroic  courage,  soldierly  bearing 
and  high  military  ability  displayed  by  Captain  Beatty 
during  the  disastrous  retreat  of  the  army.  And  it  con- 
tained a  recommendation  to  the  Governor  for  his  promo- 


226  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

tion  to  the  colonelcy  of  one  of  the  new  regiments  called 
for  from  Pennsylvania. 

Captain  Beatty  was  wounded  in  the  second  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  near  Manassas.  He  was  struck  by  an  almost 
spent  conical  ball  about  eight  inches  long,  doubtlessly 
fired  from  a  rifle  of  three-inch  bore.  The  ball  struck  the 
ground  about  •  forty  yards  distant,  rebounded,  struck  a 
man  in  Company  D  in  the  head,  killing  him,  and  then 
struck  Captain  Beatty,  breaking  his  arm  in  two  places 
and  wounding  his  hand.  He  did  not  have  his  w^ound 
dressed  until  the  next  day,  when  his  arm  w^as  amputated 
at  the  shoulder.  It  is  said  that  when  Captain  Beatty  fell, 
his  brother,  who  was  a  lieutenant  in  Company  I,  rushed 
to  his  side,  but  with  that  unselfish  devotion  to  country 
which  characterizes  a  hero,  he  ordered  him  back  to  his 
company.  He  considered  duty  to  country  as  paramount 
to  his  own  sufferings,  and  by  that  patriotic  action  gave 
to  Bristol  a  hero,  whose  memory  can  never  die.  After 
his  arm  was  amputated  he  was  sent  to  Washington,  but 
died  on  board  the  steamboat  on  the  way  up  the  river  from 
Alexandria.  He  had  partaken  of  some  soup  which  he 
relished  and  spoke  of  feeling  better.  His  comrade  left 
him  for  a  few  moments,  and  on  his  return  found  him 
sinking,  and  in  ten  minutes  he  was  dead.  Charles  Carlin, 
of  the  same  company,  was  wounded  while  in  the  act  of 
carrying  his  much  loved  captain  from  the  field.  Captain 
Beatty's  remains  were  brought  to  Bristol  and  interred  in 
St.  James'  burial  ground. 

Subsequent  to  his  death  and  burial,  the  following  poem 
appeared  in  the  Bucks  County  Intelligencer,  dated  Aug- 
ust 23,  1862.  The  name  of  the  writer  is  not  given,  but 
simply  his  initials,  "S.  S." 

Harry  Beatty. 

Captain    of    Company    i,    Third    Pennsylvania    Reserves. 

Fallen   in   battle!   my  brave  friend, 

Warm  tears  from  faithful  eyes 
Bedew   that    grave   where   lulled    to    sleep 

Thy  wounded  body  lies. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  22/ 

Youth,   fame,    ambition — all   were   laid 

On   thy  dear  country's   shrine — 
A  future  proud  with  promised  glory 

Closed  in  that  battle  line. 

A  mind  clear  as  this  autumn  moon — 

A  heart  warm  as  its  sun, 
Have  done  what  sternest  duty  asked — 

Toiled  and   suffered  and — gone. 

So  many  brave  and  stalwart  arms 

Have  palsied  in  the  fray — 
So  crowded  moved  and  long  procession 

Of  heroes  passing  away. 

That  darker  seemed  our  country's  woe. 

And   deeper  sighed  the  breeze 
On  that  sad  day  we  laid  thy  form 

Beneath  St.  James'  trees. 

Thy  martyr  dust  is  sacred  now, 

And  coming  years   will  bless 
Thy  place  of  rest,  and  its  green  mound 

With   mutest   reverence   press. 

Yes,  pilgrim  feet  will  gather  there. 

Oppression's  crime  to  ban, 
And  mark  how  green  the  laurels  grow 

Above  the  truthful  man. 

Thy  heart  twined  closest  with  thy  being 

Is  worn  and  bruised  indeed. 
And  o'er  thy  doom  and  o'er  its  own 

Will  lived  and  pitied,  bleed. 

The  shadow  of  thy  loss  will  lay 

A  cold  and  cheerless  bar 
Athwart  her  faltering  steps,  illumed 

Only  by  memory's  star. 

Farewell!  with  Him  who  knows  thy  heart, 

Its  longings,  aims,  and  worth. 
We  trust  thee,  and  resume  our  march 

So  soon  to  close  on  earth. 

We  praise  thee  for  thy  generous  daring. 

Thy   scorn   and   selfish   ease; 
We  mourn  thee  for  the  love  we  bore  thee. 

For  thy  loss  in  days  like  these! 


228  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Commissioned  Officers  in  Civil  War. — Captain  Burnet 
Landreth  contributes  the  following  list  of  names  and 
occupations  of  those  Bristol  men,  recorded  by  him,  with 
the  assistance  of  Captain  Strickland  Yardley  and  Ser- 
geant Charles  E.  Scott,  who  served  as  officers  in  the 
Army  and  Navy. 

From  Captain  Landreth  it  has  been  learned  that  al- 
though at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  Bristol's  population 
was  less  than  3,000,  yet  the  town  contributed  one  out  of 
every  seven  of  its  entire  population  to  the  Army  and 
Navy ;  to  be  exact,  493  soldiers  and  sailors.  Such  a  total 
of  enlistment  of  493  gives  force  to  the  war  poem : 

"We  are  coming  Father  Abraham, 
Six  hundred  thousand  more." 

Among  these,  nearly  500  men,  were  the  following* 
forty-three,  who  were  commissioned  as  officers  on  land 
or  sea : 

Brigadier-General  William  H.  Montgomery,  of  the 
First  New  Jersey  Brigade;  West  Point  graduate. 

Colonel  John  M.  Gosline,  Ninety-fifth  Pennsylvania; 
lawyer. 

Colonel  William  R.  Dickinson,  New  Jersey  Cavalry; 
lawyer. 

Colonel  and  Surgeon  Stonelake,  commanding  hospital 
at  Point  Lookout,  Maryland ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  William  S.  Thompson,  original 
Captain  First  Bristol  Company,  Third  Pennsylvania  Re- 
serves; engineer  Steamer  Warner. 

Captain  Henry  Clay  Beatty,  second  Captain  Company 
I,  Third  Pennsylvania  Reserves;  lawyer. 

Captain  Samuel  J.  La  Rue,  third  captain  Company  i. 
Third  Pennsylvania  Reserves ;  hotel  man. 

Captain  Strickland  Yardley,  Quartermaster  Third 
Pennsylvania  Reserves ;  storekeeper. 

Captain  Oscar  Vezin,  Company  H,  Anderson  Cavalry, 
Fifteenth   Pennsylvania;   student   at   "Bonn,"    Germany. 

Captain  Alfred  Vezin,  Company  C,  Anderson  Cavalry, 
Fifteenth  Pennsylvania;  banker. 

Captain  Anthony  Taylor,  Company  K,  Anderson  Cav- 
alry, Fifteenth  Pennsylvania;  farmer. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  229 

Captain  Richard  Henry  Morris,  of  Company  K,  Ninth 
New  York;  merchant. 

Captain  Burnet  Landreth,  Seventeenth  and  Firty-third 
Volunteer  Militia;  farmer. 

Lieutenant  Samuel  Beatty,  Company  I,  Third  Re- 
serves ;  clerk. 

Leituenant  J.  Hutchinson,  Company  I,  Third  Re- 
serves ;  farmer. 

Lieutenant  Frank  McKean,  Marine  Corps,  U.  S.  Navy; 
Annapolis  man. 

Lieutenant  Henry  Montgomery,  Company  A,  Thir- 
teenth Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  transferred  to  general 
staff;  student. 

Lieutenant  John  Burton,  Company  C,  Anderson  Cav- 
alry, Fifteenth  Pennsylvania ;  farmer. 

Lieutenant  John  Rousseau,  Sixth  Regular  Cavalry; 
clerk. 

Lieutenant  Albert  Booz,  Company  E,  Eighty-eighth 
Pennsylvania  Infantry;  farmer. 

Cadet  William  J.  Hamilton,  of  the  Regular  Army; 
student  West  Point. 

Lieutenant  Frank  Sargent,  New  Jersey  Regiment ; 
clerk. 

Lieutenant  William  Shewell,  General  Staff;  merchant. 

Lieutenant  B.  F.  Hibbs,  Seventy-first  Pennsylvania; 
clerk. 

Lieutenant  William  D.  Baker,  Seventeenth  and  Forty- 
third  Militia,  Landreth's  Companies  I  and  G;  dentist. 

Lieutenant  David  H.  Carter,  of  Forty-third  Militia, 
Landreth's  Company  G;  clerk. 

Lieutenant  James  W.  Martin,  of  Seventeenth  Militia, 
Landreth's  Company  I ;  master  carpenter. 

Lieutenant  Jacob  Hamilton,  Company  I,  Ninth  Veter- 
an Reserves ;  hotel  man. 

Cadet  Bloomfield  Mcllvaine,  U.  S.  Navy;  student 
Annapolis. 

Lieutenant  and  Surgeon  Potts,  of  the  Forty-third 
Militia.  Promoted  from  private,  Landreth's  Company; 
doctor. 

Lieutenant    and     Surgeon    John    Ward,     Forty-third 


230  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Militia,  promoted  from  corporal,  Landreth's  Company; 
doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Regimental  Quartermaster,  Edmund 
G.  Harrison,  of  the  Forty-third  Militia.  Promoted  from 
private,  Landreth's  Company;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Surgeon  John  Downing,  New  York 
Regiment ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Surgeon  Thomas  P.  Tomlinson  ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Surgeon  Rev.  John  H.  Drumm ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Assistant  Surgeon  Henry  Dorrance ; 
doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Second  Assistant  H.  K.  Brouse ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  First  Assistant  Surgeon  Hawke,  U.  S. 
N. ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Chaplain  Henry  B.  Bartow;  Episcopal 
rector. 

Lieutenant  and  Assistant  Surgeon  Woodbury;  doctor." 

Lieutenant  and  Second  Assistant  Surgeon  Alexander 
G.  Hazard ;  doctor. 

Lieutenant  and  Engineer  William  Pratt,  of  the  U.  S. 
Navy;  machinist. 

Lieutenant  and  Engineer  Thomas  Crosby,  of  the  U.  S. 
Navy;  machinist. 

Three  of  these  officers  died  of  wounds ;  five  others  were 
wounded  but  recovered ;  two  died  in  the  field  of  disease,  a 
mortality  of  ten,  or  one-fourth  of  the  whole. 

Of  these  forty-three  officers  from  Bristol,  all  but  four 
have  answered  the  final  roll  call,  these  being  Admiral 
Hawke,  Lieutenant  Beatty,  Engineer  Pratt  and  Captain 
Burnet  Landreth. 

Terrible  Railroad  Accident. — In  the  month  of  March, 
1865,  a  terrible  railroad  accident  occurred  at  the  Mill 
Street  crossing  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  But  one 
track  ran  through  the  town  at  this  period.  A  train,  sev- 
eral rear  cars  of  which  were  loaded  with  soldiers,  some 
of  whom  had  recently  been  released  from  Libby  Prison, 
became  disabled  and  stopped  on  the  crossing  at  i  o'clock 
A.  M.  The  old  railroad  ran  just  back  of  Otter  Street 
and  the  curve  in  the  road  made  it  impossible  to  see  an 
approaching  train  either  way,  until  it  had  almost  reached 


A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  23I 

the  crossing.  Joseph  Tomlinson,  a  resident  of  Bristol, 
was  station  master  at  Schenk's  station  (Croyden),  having 
charge  of  the  switches  at  that  point.  On  the  night  when 
the  accident  occurred,  the  conductor  of  the  wrecked 
train,  told  Mr.  Tomlinson  to  hold  the  express  train,  which 
was  following,  until  the  lights  of  his  train  were  out  of 
sight.  These  instructions  Mr.  Tomlinson  followed,  but 
an  unexpected  breakdown  detained  the  first  train  at  the 
Mill  Street  crossing.  The  express  train  came  thundering 
along  unaware  of  the  near  proximity  of  the  preceding 
train,  and  rounding  the  curve  crashed  into  it  on  the  cross- 
ing, while  running  at  full  speed.  The  three  rear  cars  on 
the  front  train,  which  contained  the  soldiers,  were  tele- 
scoped and  their  occupants  pinioned  in  the  debris.  To 
add  to  the  horror  of  the  scene,  the  coaches  took  fire  and 
the  cries  of  the  wounded,  whose  agonies  were  increased  as 
the  flames  reached  their  bodies,  were  heartrending.  Fire 
Company  No.  i  quickly  responded  to  the  call  for  assist- 
ance and  the  old  hand  engine  was  put  into  effective 
service.  As  soon  as  the  flames  were  subdued  the  citizens 
made  an  effort  to  release  the  wounded.  Carpenters 
brought  their  saws  and  cut  through  the  side  of  the 
coaches,  then  ropes  were  fastened  to  the  loosened  por- 
tions, and  in  this  manner  the  sides  of  the  cars  were  pulled 
out.  The  wounded  were  carried  into  nearby  houses. 
Some  were  taken  into  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Sutch,  who  lived  in  a  brick  house  adjoining  the  track; 
others  into  the  home  of  Elwood  Doron,  next  to  his  lum- 
ber yard  on  Mill  Street.  The  ambulances  and  surgeons 
from  the  hospital  at  China  Hall,  were  quickly  on  the 
scene  and  the  surgeons  gave  valuable  service.  The 
greaser  on  the  wrecked  locomotive  was  performing  some 
duty  outside  the  cab  on  the  side  of  the  boiler,  when  the 
wreck  occurred,  and  in  the  collision  was  impailed  on  a 
piece  of  piping.  He  lived  for  half  an  hour,  but  it  was  two 
hours  before  the  rescuers  could  reach  his  body.  Such  a 
horrible  railroad  accident  Avas  never  before  or  since  wit- 
nessed in  Bristol. 

A  coroner's  jury  was  impanelled  a  few  days  following 
the  accident  and  an  investigation  begun.  When  the  con- 
ductor of  the  wrecked  train  was  summoned  before  the 


232  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

jury,  he  endeavored  to  clear  himself  of  blame,  by  claim- 
ing to  have  instructed  Tomlinson,  the  station  master  at 
Schenks,  not  to  allow  the  express  to  follow.  The  coro- 
ner's jury  rendered  a  verdict  of  criminal  negligence,  and 
the  district  attorney  issued  indictments  against  Tomlin- 
son and  the  engineer  and  conductor  of  the  wrecked  train, 
charging  them  with  manslaughter.  The  trial  of  the 
engineer  and  conductor  was  called  first,  when  the  con- 
ducator  reaffirmed  his  statement  made  before  the  coroner's 
jury  and  both  were  acquitted.  Mr.  Tomlinson's  trial  was 
set  for  the  next  day  and  it  looked  as  if  he  was  to  be  made 
the  scapegoat.  It  appeared,  however,  that  on  the  night  of 
the  wreck,  the  conductor  had  been  asked  the  cause  by  a 
friend,  and  in  the  presence  of  several  other  citizens, 
among  whom  were  Richard  Trudgen  and  Charles  M. 
Foster,  had  told  how  he  had  informed  the  station  master 
at  Schenks,  to  let  the  express  pass  as  soon  as  the  red 
lights  of  the  first  train  were  out  of  sight.  When  news 
reached  Bristol  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before  the 
trial,  that  Tomlinson  would  undoubtedly  be  convicted, 
Messrs.  Trudgen  and  Foster  voluntarily  went  to  Doyles- 
town,  arriving  in  the  evening,  hunted  up  Mr.  Tomlin- 
son's lawyer  and  informed  him  of  the  evidence  they  de- 
sired to  give.  He  cautioned  them  of  the  necessity  for 
secrecy  and  made  his  plans  for  the  morrow.  At  the  trial 
the  conductor  renewed  his  accusations  against  Tomlin- 
son, and  the  lawyer  for  the  defense  allowed  all  the  evi- 
dence of  the  prosecution  to  be  presented  without  com- 
ment. Then  he  called  Messrs.  Trudgen  and  Foster  to 
the  witness  stand,  both  of  whom  recited  the  conversation 
which  they  had  overheard  between  the  conductor  and 
his  friend.  The  prosecuting  attorney  attempted  to  weak- 
en the  evidence,  but  it  was  too  convincing,  and  amid  sup- 
pressed excitement  the  jury  rendered  a  verdict  of  acquit- 
tal. Joseph  Tomlinson  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age  and  died 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Robert  Tyler. — At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War, 
Robert  Tyler,  son  of  ex-President  John  Tyler,  lived  in  the 
house  on  the  river  bank  now  occupied  by  Joseph  R. 
Grundy.     He  was  a  Southerner  by  birth  and  very  pro- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  233 

nounced  in  his  defense  and  advocacy  of  the  South.  One 
morning  he  left  town  suddenly  and  a  short  time  after- 
ward news  was  received  here  that  he  had  joined  the  Con- 
federacy and  had  accepted  an  office  under  the  rebel  gov- 
ernment. In  a  newspaper  article  written  by  William 
Kinsey  at  the  close  of  the  war,  we  find  a  good  description 
of  the  hot  blooded  Southern  temperament  possessed  by 
Tyler,  as  well  as  the  causes  which  finally  carried  him  over 
to  the  Confederacy : 

"Shortly  after  the  firing  on  Fort  Sumter  by  the  rebels, 
when  the  country  was  in  a  high  state  of  excitement,  and 
men,  at  the  call  of  the  President,  were  volunteering  for 
the  defense  of  the  Government,  and  the  watchword  was 
'shoot  every  man  who  attempts  to  pull  down  the  Ameri- 
can flag,'  when  every  man  who  was  not  outspoken  in 
favor  of  sustaining  the  President,  was  suspected  of  being 
in  sympathy  with  the  South,  Mr.  Tyler  at  that  time  lived 
in  a  house  on  the  river  bank,  belonging  to  Captain 
Hutchinson,  near  Penn  Street  (now  tne  home  of  Jos.  R. 
Grundy).  He  held  the  office  of  Clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Pennsylvania,  and  went  to  and  returned  from 
Philadelphia  daily  on  the  steamboat.  P>eing  a  Southerner 
by  birth  and  education,  he  had  frequent  conversations 
with  the  passengers,  on  the  causes  and  efifects  of  the  war. 
He  attributed  the  cause  of  the  difficulty  between  the 
North  and  South  to  acts  of  the  Abolitionists.  Those  in 
sympathy  with  that  body  would  reply  and  sometimes  the 
conversation  would  run  into  personalities  and  become 
very  bitter. 

"The  day  on  which  he  left  Philadelphia,  the  writer,  with 
several  of  the  citizens  of  Bristol,  among  whom  were  John 
Dorrance,  Sr.,  and  Robert  Tyler,  went  to  the  city. 
Shortly  after  the  boat  left,  some  of  the  passengers  for 
the  purpose  of  drawing  from  Tyler  his  sentiments  on 
what  he  thought  would  be  the  results  of  the  war  between 
the  North  and  South,  asked  him  if  he  believed  the  South- 
ern people  would  sustain  their  leaders  in  trying  to  destroy 
the  Government.  He  said  he  believed  from  what  he 
knew  of  Southern  character,  that  unless  Congress  passed 
a  stringent  law  to  protect  them  in  their  rights  to  hold 
their   slaves   and   recover   them   when   they   fled   to   the 


234  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

North,  unmolested,  their  leaders  would  be  sustained,  and 
he  thought  if  a  war  took  place  it  would  be  a  long  and 
bloody  one,  the  consequences  of  which  no  man  could  cal- 
culate.   Mr.  Dorrance  replied  and  said  if  a  war  was  begun 
he  didn't  believe  it  would  last  ninety  days.    Tyler,  some- 
what excited,  said :    ''Why  John,  if  a  battle  between  the 
Northern  and  Southern  troops  was  to  take  place  on  your 
farm   the   blood   would    run   to   the   bits   of   the   horses' 
bridles."     The  conversation  was  kept  up  with  bitterness 
until   the   arrival   of  the  boat   at  the   city,  when  it  was 
learned   that   a   meeting   of   the   citizens   to   sustain   the 
Government  would  be  held  at  Independence  Square,  on 
that  day.    At  the  meeting,  one  of  the  speakers  stated  that 
it  was  reported  Robert  Tyler  was  in  sympathy  with  the 
South,  and  was  in  the  habit  of  speaking  in  their  defense. 
The  excitement  was  great.    Some  one  said  he  ought  to  be 
lynched.     It  appeared  that  an  attempt  would  be  made  to 
arrest  him.    One  of  his  friends,  who  was  present,  fearing 
for  his  safety,  hurried  to  his  office  and  informed  him  of 
what  was  said  about  him   at  the  meeting,  and   advised 
him  to  leave  the  city  immediately.   Fearing  to  be  seen  in 
the  street  he  hired  a  carriage  and  was  driven  to  Frank- 
ford,  where  he  took  the  cars  to  Bristol.      In  the  mean- 
time parties  were  searching  for  him  in  the  city  with  a 
view  of  arresting  him   for  treason.     News  had   reached 
Bristol   that   a   mob   in    Philadelphia   Avere   in   search   of 
Robert  Tyler.     Had  they  arrested  him   he   would  have 
been  locked  up  and  deprived  of  his  liberty.     There  was 
to  be  a  meeting  and  parade  in  Bristol  on  the  night  of  his 
arrival.     His  friends,  believing  him  to  be  a  loyal   man, 
fearing  an  attempt  might  be  made  to  molest  him,  and  for 
the  high  estimation  they  had  for  his  family,  called  on  Mr. 
Lee,  who  was  to  have  charge  of  the  parade,  and  requested 
him  not  to  march  his  men  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mr. 
Tyler's  house.     He  assured  them  that  no  demonstration 
should  be  made  that  would  give  any  cause  of  alarm  to 
Mr.  Tyler  or  his  family.     About  the  time  the  procession 
got  into  line  it  commenced  to  rain ;  when  they  reached 
Dorrance   Street,  the   rain   increasing,   Lee   marched   his 
men  up  to  Wood,  down  to  Mill,  and  they  were  dismissed, 
no  demonstration  having  been  made  against  Mr.  Tyler. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  235 

Colonel  Montgomery  and  other  citizens  called  on  the 
family  and  assured  them  that  they  would  not  be  dis- 
turbed. They  were  in  great  fear  and  excitement,  and  the 
next  morning  Mr.  Tyler  left  for  New  York. 

"A  few  days  after,  the  writer  (Wm.  Kinsey),  being  in 
New  York,  passing  up  Courtlandt  Street,  met  Mr.  Tyler 
and  his  wife  on  their  way  to  the  depot.  They  both  ap- 
peared glad  to  meet  me  and  Mr.  Tyler  commenced  to  talk 
about  his  exit  from  Philadelphia.  He  inquired  particu- 
larly about  the  state  of  feeling  of  the  people  in  relation  to 
the  charges  made  against  him,  and  said  he  had  been 
maligned  and  misrepresented  by  persons  who  had  led  him 
into  conversation  on  the  questions  of  the  times  for  the 
purpose  of  misrepresenting  him  in  his  attitude  to  the 
Government  through  malice  and  political  jealousy.  He 
had  no  interest  in  the  South  personally  or  pecuniarily; 
his  wife  and  children  were  born  in  the  North,  and  here 
was  his  home  and  friends.  He  was  for  peace  and  not  for 
war.  In  the  course  of  our  conversation  he  asked  if  I 
thought  he  would  meet  with  personal  interference  if  he 
returned  to  Philadelphia.  He  said  he  had  no  fears  of 
any  one  molesting  him  in  Bristol.  I  advised  him  not  to 
return  to  the  city  until  the  excitement  against  him  had 
died  out,  and  recommended  that  he  write  to  the  Mayor 
of  Philadelphia  stating  fully  and  clearly  his  feelings  and 
attitude  toward  the  Government,  and  ask  him  in  case  he 
returned  to  Philadelphia,  if  he  thought  he  would  be 
molested,  and  if  he  were,  whether  he  could  protect  him 
from  violence.  He  thanked  me  for  my  advice  and  we 
parted. 

''After  the  close  of  the  war  I  was  at  the  Merchants' 
House  in  Philadelphia,  and  there  I  met  Mr.  Tyler ;  he  had 
arrived  the  night  before.  He  said  he  was  pleased  to  meet 
an  old  citizen  of  Bristol,  and  in  course  of  conversation 
referred  to  our  last  meeting  in  New  York.  I  said  to  him  : 
"You  should  not  have  left  the  North ;  it  was  a  mistake ; 
you  had  better  remained,  as  the  excitement  against  you 
would  have  soon  died  out."  He  replied :  "I  took  your 
advice  and  wrote  to  the  Mayor  of  Philadelphia ;  he 
promptly  answered  my  letter  and  said  he  thought  my  re- 
turn to  Philadelphia  would  be  attended  with  serious. 
16 


236  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

consequences ;  that  the  excitement  against  me  was  so 
great  that  he  could  not  promise  me  protection  from  per- 
sonal assault.  Finding  myself,  as  it  were,  an  outlaw,  I 
had  no  other  alternative  but  to  leave  the  North  and  take 
a  position  that  was  repugnant  to  my  feelings  and  against 
my  best  interests." 

After  Mr.  Tyler  cast  his  lot  with  the  confederacy,  his 
property  was  confiscated  by  the  Government  and  his 
household  goods  sold  at  public  sale.  A  clock  belonging 
to  Mr.  Tyler  was  purchased  by  the  late  John  Worrell, 
and  years  afterwards,  while  Mr.  Worrell  was  in  the  em- 
ploy of  our  fellow-townsman,  Mr.  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  he 
presented  the  clock  to  his  employer.  Mr.  Grundy  still 
holds  it  in  his  possession,  a  ''timely"  reminder  of  a  prom- 
ising young  man,  who  started  in  life  with  every  pros- 
pect of  becoming  eminently  successful  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  profession,  but  who,  by  his  allegiance  to  an  unholy 
cause,  fell  short  of  his  highest  ambition. 

A  Whale  in  the  Delaware  at  Bristol. — "Our  citizens 
were  treated  to  a  free  exhibition  and  some  of  the  more 
hazardous,  to  novel  and  lively  sport,  by  the  appearance  of 
a  black  whale  (grampus)  in  the  Delaware,  on  Monday 
last  (April  22,  1861).  His  whaleship  passed  up  and  down 
the  river,  between  Burlington,  and  for  a  short  distance 
above  Bristol,  several  times,  and  was  repeatedly  seen  at 
different  times,  spouting  a  stream  of  water  several  feet 
high.  Our  sportsmen  with  the  oar  succeeded  in  nearly 
shoaling  him  several  times,  and  once  had  him  for  a  time 
fast  with  a  harpoon,  from  which  both  it  and  they  more 
luckily  escaped,  being  taken.  It  was  eventually  captured 
on  Tuesday  near  the  site  of  'the  treaty  elm,'  Kensington. 
It  was  said  to  be  about  forty-six  feet  long."  (Bache's 
Index.) 

Death  of  Dr.  John  Phillips. — Dr.  Phillips,  one  of  the 
most  beloved  physicians  who  ever  practised  in  Bristol, 
died  tranquilly,  surrounded  by  his  family,  in  his  home, 
on  Tuesday  evening,  December  31,  1861.  He  was  re- 
garded by  his  professional  brethren  with  great  respect 
for  his  fine  talents,  large  experience,  and  unusual  skill  as 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  237 

a  practitioner.  Indeed,  while  his  modesty  forbade  him  to 
make  the  least  assumption  of  superior  powers,  he  was 
unquestionably  admitted  by  all  who  were  brought  in  con- 
tact with  him,  to  be  one  of  the  most  able  and  successful 
physicians  in  this  state.  In  addition  to  his  professional 
attainments,  his  courtly  manners  and  generous  qualities 
recommended  him  to  the  favor  of  all.  He  was  borne  to 
his  last  resting  place  on  the  Saturday  afternoon  following 
his  death  amid  the  lamentations  of  the  whole  town.  A 
constant  tide  of  people  moving  sad  and  slow,  passed  into 
the  house  of  the  deceased  to  take  a  last  look  at  their 
venerable  friend.  It  was  not  idle  curiosity  that  led  them 
there — many  came  in  humble  apparel  and  went  away 
weeping.  The  poorest  as  well  as  the  richest  felt  that 
they  had  lost  a  friend.  The  memory  of  kind  words, 
patient  watching  in  sickness,  little  delicacies  carried  to 
the  sufferer's  bedside  by  his  own  generous  hand — aye, 
and  bread  for  the  starving — the  recollection  of  these 
things  brought  many  humble  mourners  to  his  coffin. 
His  remains  were  taken  to  the  Episcopal  Church  (St. 
James'),  where  appropriate  services  were  read.  Rev. 
Mr.  Pierson,  the  pastor  of  the  church,  in  a  short  dis- 
course, spoke  of  the  many  conversations  he  had  with  the 
deceased  during  his  sickness  and  said  that  the  doctor 
requested  him  to  bear  testimony  to  his  friends,  that  he 
had  an  abiding  faith  in  Christ  his  Saviour,  and  that  if  he 
was  permitted  to  recover  he  would  consecrate  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days  to  religion.  Dr.  Phillips  was  in  his 
seventy-first  year.  He  had  practiced  medicine  in  Bristol 
and  the  surrounding  neighborhood,  for  upwards  of  fifty 
years.  His  manner  in  the  sick  room  was  always  tender 
and  sympathizing,  and  in  cases  of  serious  illness,  no  sac- 
rifice or  attention  was  considered  too  great  on  his  part, 
where  he  could  thereby  benefit  the  patient. 

Bristol  Woolen  Mill  Company. — The  Bristol  Woolen 
Mill  Company  was  organized  in  1864  with  a  capital  of 
$60,000,  which  was  afterward  increased  to  v$75,ooo,  and 
a  large  two-story  building  was  erected  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  fancy  knit  goods  of  wool,  at  that  time  very  popu- 
lar  for   ladies'   wear.      This   enterprise   enjoyed   a   brief 


238  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

period  of  fair  success,  but  fashions  changed  and  after  a 
season  of  unprofitable  business,  it  shared  the  fate  of  its 
unfortunate  predecessors  and  was  closed  with  consider- 
able loss.  The  property  passed  into  other  hands  and 
was  converted  into  a  hosiery  mill,  being  run  by  Lewis 
Jones,  of  Germantown,  under  the  management  of  Thomas 
Hughes,  of  this  place.  It  had  an  aggregate  of  about 
25,000  square  feet  of  floor  surface,  and  was  fully  equipped 
with  cards,  spindles,  and  knitting  machines,  adapted  to 
the  manufacture  of  plain  and  fancy  cotton  and  merino 
hosiery.  After  the  retirement  of  Lewis  Jones  and  the 
death  of  Thomas  Hughes,  the  business  was  continued 
for  a  period  by  Miss  Mattie  Hughes.  For  the  last  few 
years  the  building  has  been  unoccupied. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  239 


EPOCH   VIII. 


BRISTOL  A  MANUFACTURING  TOWN. 


From  1865,  the  Close  of  the  Civil  War,  to  191 1,  the 
Present  Year. 

Introduction. — Mention  has  previously  been  made  of 
the  lethargy  into  which  the  town  subsided,  following  the 
destruction  of  the  coal  trade,  by  the  construction  of  the 
outlet  lock  at  New  Hope  and  the  shipping  of  coal  from 
Philadelphia  by  the  Reading  Railroad  Company.  This 
lethargy  continued  for  several  years,  extening  down 
through  the  period  of  the  Civil  War.  Then  the  factories 
came.  Employment  was  given  to  many.  The  town  be- 
gan to  grow.  The  hum  of  the  spindles  was  heard,  the 
click  of  the  loom  became  music  to  the  ear  of  many  will- 
ing workers  who  had  no  opportunity  before,  the  carpen- 
ter and  mason  became  busy,  and  an  air  of  general  pros- 
perity again  prevailed.  Since  1868  many  mills  and  fac- 
tories have  been  erected,  the  invested  capital  of  which 
amounts  to  several  million  dollars. 

Industrial  Progress. — Interesting  paper  read  by  Jos- 
eph R.  Grundy,  Bristol's  leading  manufacturer,  at  the 
spring  meeting  of  the  Bucks  County  Historical  Society, 
held  in  the  Friends'  Meeting  House,  Bristol  (1910)  : 

"The  west  bank  of  the  Delaware  River,  we  are  told, 
was  first  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Chester,  by  a 
body  of  Swedes  about  1677,  ^^^  shortly  following  that 
settlement,  the  ancestors  of  some  of  us  found  their  way 
farther  east  and  established  for  themselves  a  home  within 
what  is  now  the  County  of  Bucks.  So  numerous  had  this 
settlement  become  that  at  the  end  of  twenty  years  we 
find  the  provincial  government  petitioned  for  the  estab- 


240  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

lishment  of  a  market  town  at  what  is  now  the  site  of 
Bristol,  and  four  years  later,  or.in  1701,  Samuel  Carpen- 
ter, described  as  a  wealthy  merchant  of  Philadelphia, 
attracted  by  the  water  power,  furnished  a  mill  property 
for  the  grinding  of  grain  and  the  sawing  of  timber.  This 
enterprise  heralded  a  beginning  of  considerable  activity, 
as  it  afforded  the  settlers  a  medium  of  profitably  clearing 
their  lands  and  also  of  grinding  the  grain  which  they 
were  then  beginning  to  grow  upon  the  lands  that  had 
been  already  gotten  under  cultivation. 

''This  industry  undoubtedly  was  responsible  for  the 
fact  that  there  followed  the  establishment  of  shipbuilding 
upon  Mill  Creek,  the  timber  for  which  the  local  mill  aided 
in  preparing,  and  further  aided  in  providing  cargoes  for 
the  ships  when  built  to  carry,  and  thus  it  was  for  prac- 
tically a  century  the  industry  of  our  neighborhood  con- 
sisted in  the  building  of  ships,  the  sawing  of  timber  and 
the  grinding  of  grain,  which  was  freely  exported  to 
various  parts  of  the  world. 

"In  1815  we  are  told  that  a  woolen  mill  was  established 
along  the  banks  of  Mill  Creek,  but  its  existence  was  of 
short  duration,  a  quarrel  having  occurred  in  the  firm 
which  resulted  in  the  removal  of  the  machinery  to 
Groveville,  N.  J. 

"The  year  1827  saw  the  beginning  of  the  construction 
by  the  state  of  the  Delaware  Division  of  the  Lehigh 
Canal  which  was  completed  three  years  later,  and  fur- 
nished thereby  an  outlet  from  the  anthracite  coal  regions 
of  the  north  to  tidewater.  This  development  brought 
much  activity  in  shipping  lines  and  much  labor  found 
employment  in  handling  the  cargoes  of  coal  which  found 
their  way  to  the  sea  by  way  of  this  new  development. 

"In  1853  ^  body  of  capitalists  gathered  together  the 
sum  of  $12,000,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  junction 
of  Beaver  Dam  Road  and  the  northwestern  side  of  the 
canal  established  what  was  known  as  the  Bristol  Forge, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  wrought  iron. 

"About  this  time,  however,  the  borough  met  with  a 
severe  setback ;  the  extension  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Reading  Railroad  from  Bethlehem  to  Philadelphia,  by 
which   route   thereafter   they    shipped   the   coal    to   their 


JOSEPH  R.  GRUNDY, 
Bristol's  Leading  Manufacturer. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  24I 

yards  in  Port  Richmond  on  the  Delaware ;  thus  taking 
from  our  town  the  employment  and  business  which  had 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  played  an  important  part  in  its 
growth  and  prosperity. 

"The  period  of  time  from  1855  to  i860  is  recorded  as 
one  of  great  depression  due  largely  to  this  cause.  It  will 
be  noted  that  up  to  this  period  substantially  all  the 
activity  and  business  development  had  been  created  by 
the  handling  of  raw  products  either  of  the  mines  or  of  the 
soil,  and  exporting  same.  The  requirements  of  our 
people  in  all  other  than  food  products  being  imported 
from  abroad. 

"The  year  i860  found  our  country  in  a  condition  of 
great  turmoil  and  alarm.  A  man  had  been  elected  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  who  was  not  in  sympathy  with 
Southern  traditions,  and  the  South,  which  for  many  years 
had  been  in  charge  of  the  Government,  was  upon  the 
verge  of  secession.  With  the  control  of  the  Government 
thus  far  in  their  hands  and  with  secession  in  their  minds, 
it  was  but  natural  that  ships,  arms  and  munitions  of  war 
should  have  been  transferred  by  those  in  charge,  to 
points  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  in  anticipation 
of  the  coming  struggle.  Thus  when  Abraham  Lincoln 
subscribed  to  the  oath  of  office  as  President  of  the  I'nited 
States,  he  found  the  Government  of  our  country  con- 
fronted not  only  with  secession  and  civil  war,  but  also 
stripped  of  means  to  enforce  by  force  of  arms,  the  laws 
of  our  country  and  cope  with  the  rebellion  which  was 
then  before  him.  In  order  to  provide  and  equip  the 
armies  and  navies  of  the  United  States,  large  expendi- 
tures confronted  the  Government ;  as  the  treasury  was 
as  depleted  as  were  the  arsenals,  large  sums  of  money 
had  to  be  borrowed  on  the  faith  of  the  Government,  and 
to  provide  for  the  interest  and  principal  of  these  obliga- 
tions every  method  of  taxation  was,  in  the  course  of  the 
struggle,  resorted  to,  including  heavy  import  duties  upon 
all  kinds  of  manufactured  products  into  our  country. 

''The  import  duties  on  manufacturers  from  abroad, 
high  as  they  were,  was  not  the  only  drawback  to  procur- 
ing goods  from  foreign  lands.  Many  enterprises  of  a 
privateering  character  were  entered  into  by  men  taking 


242  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

advantage  of  the  condition  in  which  the  Government  of 
our  country  found  itself  and  harassed  in  the  name  of  the 
Confederacy  the  shipping  trade  of  Northern  states,  and 
so  our  foreign  trade  relations  were  not  only  made  diffi- 
cult by  high  tariff  duties,  but  hazardous  by  the  fear  of 
capture  by  those  engaged  in  preying  on  our  commerce. 

''The  effect  of  the  Government  being  a  very  large  pur- 
chaser of  all  commodities,  such  as  clothing,  boots  and 
shoes,  arms  and  armament,  to  say  nothing  of  the  general 
equipment  necessary  to  maintain  large  armies  in  the  field, 
coupled  with  the  requirements  of  our  people,  also  the 
great  abundance  of  money  due  to  the  large  expenditures 
on  the  part  of  the  Government  for  war  purposes ;  created 
great  opportunity  for  domestic  manufacture  of  all  classes 
of  merchandise.  Under  this  stimulance  domestic  indus- 
tries to  meet  these  requirements  sprang  up  and  flourished 
on  every  side,  and  the  industrial  strides  made  by  the 
North  during  the  Civil  War,  reflects  their  most  prosper- 
ous period  in  American  history. 

''The  close  of  the  Civil  War,  in  1865,  brought  many 
problems  to  those  in  charge  of  our  Government,  but  none 
that  they  approached  with  more  serious  consideration 
than  that  of  restoring  the  revenues  of  the  Government  to 
a  peace  basis  and  yet  not  disturb  the  splendid  industrial 
development  which  had  been  created  by  the  conditions 
before  described.  To  prepare  for  this  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  appointed  a  Revenue  Commission  con- 
sisting of  David  A.  Wells,  of  Connecticut ;  S.  S.  Hayes,  of 
Massachusetts,  and  Stephen  A.  Colwell,  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  work  of  this  commission  covered  a  period  of  two 
years  and  proved  to  be  a  masterly  review  of  the  revenue 
laws  of  the  land.  In  the  latter  part  of  1866,  this  commis- 
sion made  its  report  to  the  then  Secretary  of  the  Trea- 
sury the  Hon.  Hugh  McCollough,  who  after  approving 
same  and  certifying  to  it,  laid  it  before  the  then  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  the  Hon.  Schuyler  S. 
Colfax,  who  in  turn  approved  and  certified  the  report  to 
the  Chairman  of  the  Ways  and  Means  Committee  of 
Congress,  the  Hon.  Justin  S.  Morrell,  who  made  this 
report  the  basis  of  what  has  since  been  known  in  history 
as  the  Morrell  Tariff  Act  of  1867.     The  passage  of  this 


JOSHUA  PEIRCE. 
Bristol's  Industrial  Pioneer. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  243 

law  brought  continued  confidence  and  encouragement  to 
our  industrial  development  as  a  country  and  formed  the 
basis  upon  which  every  protective  tariff  bill  has  since 
been  constructed. 

"In  the  industrial  uplift  following  i860,  Bristol  shared. 

"The  Bristol  Forge,  located  on  Buckley  Street,  became 
the  scene  of  great  activity.  Its  original  capital  of  $12,000 
was  raised  to  $125,000,  and  its  products  found  a  ready 
market  both  for  Government  and  domestic  uses.  The 
prosperity  of  this  company  led  to  the  erecting  of  a  similar 
concern  known  as  the  Keystone  Forge  Company.  In 
1864  the  Bristol  Woolen  Mills  were  established  on  Buck- 
ley Street  for  the  manufacture  of  knit  fabrics.  This  prop- 
erty passed  through  several  hands  and  afforded,  up  until 
recent  years,  the  employment  of  many  hundreds  of 
people. 

"The  year  1868  is  notable  in  Bristol's  industrial  history 
as  marking  the  return  of  Joshua  Peirce  to  Bristol  after 
several  years'  residence  in  the  western  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Impressed  by  the  favorable  location  of  Bristol  for 
industrial  development  and  the  opportunities  which  the 
Morrell  Tariff  Act  created;  he  established  the  Living- 
;stone  Mills  for  the  manufacture  from  wool  of  felt 
products.  He  actively  and  enthusiastically  entered  into 
the  industrial  development  of  Bristol,  and  in  1871  was 
instrumental  in  establishing  the  Bristol  Foundry,  since 
operated  by  ex-Burgess  Thomas  B.  Harkins.  The  sash 
and  planing  mills  now  operated  by  Messrs.  Peirce  & 
Williams  were  located  in  Bristol  in  1873,  and  in  1875, 
likewise  through  Mr.  Peirce's  activities,  the  Bristol  Roll- 
ing Mills  were  built  by  Messrs.  Nevegold  &  Scheide. 

In  1876  Mr.  Peirce  organized  for  the  further  industrial 
development  of  Bristol  the  Bristol  Improvement  Com- 
pany, and  the  same  year  this  company  erected  the 
worsted  mills,  which  were  leased  to  the  then  firm  of 
Grundy  Brothers  and  Campion.  In  1877  the  Bristol  Im- 
provement Company  erected  for  L.  M.  Harned  &  Co., 
the  mill  known  as  the  Keystone  Mill  for  the  manufacture 
of  fringe  and  braids.  In  1880  the  same  company  erected 
the  Star  Mills  for  a  firm  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
knit  goods,  and  in  1882  the  Wall  Paper  Mills,  which  have 


244  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

since  been  operated  under  various  management  were  also 
erected  by  this  company.  About  this  time  Samuel  Apple- 
ton  erected  the  mill  located  on  Buckley  Street  near 
Beaver  Dam  Road,  now  operated  by  Henderson  8i  Co.^ 
as  a  carpet  mill,  and  in  1887  the  Improvement  Company 
erected  the  fine  property  of  the  Bristol  Carpet  Mills  for 
the  then  firm  of  Thomas  L.  Leedom  &  Co. 

"In  1889  the  leather  factory,  now  known  as  the  Corona 
Leather  Works,  was  established  by  Boston  capitalists,, 
and  in  1906  the  Patent  Leather  Company  engaged  in  a 
similar  line  of  work  to  that  of  the  Corona  Leather  Works,, 
was  established  by  its  enterprising  president,  our  towns- 
man, Mr.  C.  L.  Anderson. 

''The  year  following,  the  Standard  Cast  Iron  Pipe  and 
Foundry  Company  erected  the  large  works  in  the  town- 
ship just  east  of  the  borough  line.  This  last  mentioned 
mill  property  about  completes  the  industrial  enterprises 
now  in  existence  in  our  district.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
some  of  the  deductions  which  are  drawn  from  Bristol's 
industrial  development. 

''The  first  is  that  from  the  settlement  of  our  neighbor- 
hood in  1677  to  i860,  a  period  of  183  years,  the  population 
had  but  grown  to  about  2,500  people,  and  in  assessed 
valuation  the  borough  reached  a  property  valuation  of 
slightly  under  $500,000.  During  the  past  fifty  years  the 
industrial  conditions  which  had  led  to  the  development  of 
Bristol  up  to  i860  have  entirely  passed  away.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  canal  for  the  most  part  was  diverted  else- 
where, the  grist  mill  has  long  since  passed  out  of  active 
operation,  and  with  it  the  saw  mill,  and  in  their  place 
industrial  activity  was  found  in  the  manufacture  of  iron, 
of  carpets,  of  hosiery,  of  leather  products,  mill  work,  and 
yarn  and  cloths  for  the  clothing  of  our  people. 

"In  the  183  years  since  the  settlement,  to  i860,  our 
population  had  grown  to  2,500.  Fifty  years  later  we 
approximate  10,000  souls.  The  assessed  valuation,  which 
in  183  years  had  reached  nearly  $500,000  in  i860,  since 
has  grown  to  $3,000,000,  and  the  number  of  people  em- 
ployed in  the  mills  in  1910  approximate  3,300;  the  wages 
annually  paid  to  these  operatives  total  $1,750,000,  while 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  245 

the  value  of  the  manufactured  product  amounts  to  sub- 
stantially $12,000,000  annually. 

''The  past  decade,  in  Bristol  especially,  has  been  one  of 
marked  prosperity  in  its  industrial  development;  its 
population  has  increased  40  per  cent,  over  that  of  1900, 
and  never  in  the  history  of  the  borough  has  there  been  a 
year  when  expenditures  for  development  and  advance- 
ment of  the  community  will  be  as  great  as  that  of  the 
year  1910. 

"As  stated  before,  in  the  183  years  of  the  life  of  our 
neighborhood  up  to  i860,  the  assessed  valuation  of  our 
town  was  less  than  $500,000.  Yet  this  year  do  we  find 
one  enterprise  under  way,  that  of  changing  of  the  lines 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  which  will  involve  an  ex- 
penditure of  more  than  $1,000,000.  Also  we  find  in  the 
development  and  extension  of  mill  operations  already 
located  within  our  neighborhood  contracts  made  for  the 
expenditure  in  new  buildings  and  equipment  approximat- 
ing $750,000.  In  building  operations  for  homes  for  our 
people,  probably  not  less  than  $50,000  additional  will  be 
expended,  while  many  more  homes  would  find  ready 
rental  if  constructed,  all  directly  reflecting  a  condition 
of  business  activity  and  industrial  development  much  to 
be  desired  and  encouraged. 

"Those  of  us  who  have  been  identified  with  Bristol's 
growth  during  the  past  generation,  naturally  take  much 
pride  in  what  has  been  accomplished.  But  however  grati- 
fying the  past  may  have  been  we  feel  that  should  there 
be  no  change  in  the  fiscal  policy  of  the  Government  which 
has  made  possible  our  development  in  the  past,  the  future 
of  our  neighborhood  is  very  bright.  We. believe  the  work 
now  under  way  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  will  be  a 
great  factor  in  this  direction,  as  it  will  open  up  some 
three  miles  of  lands  for  development  along  their  new 
lines  which  heretofore  has  been  inaccessible,  owing  to 
physical  difficulties.  The  removal  of  passenger  tracks  at 
grade  crossings  from  the  heart  of  our  town,  thus  afford- 
ing free  access  and  communication  to  all  sections,  is 
something  greatly  to  be  desired,  and  the  development 
which  naturally  will  follow  in  trolley  service  will  bear 
an  important  part  in  our  growth  and  added  convenience. 


246  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

*'In  all  of  the  problems  which  effect  our  future  develop- 
ment, our  local  government  is  deeply  interested.  The 
question  of  our  future  water  supply,  a  question  of  great 
importance  to  every  industrial  town,  is  being  solved  in 
the  direction  of  municipal  control  of  this  important 
utility.  A  complete  sewer  system  for  the  better  sanita- 
tion of  the  borough  will  shortly  be  installed.  Never  was 
there  a  brighter  horizon  for  our  people  than  that  which 
at  this  day  confronts  them. 

"In  all  ages  the  valor  and  bravery  of  men  who  have 
borne  arms  in  the  defence  of  their  country  has  been  the 
subject  of  grateful  appreciation  by  their  fellow  man.  If 
this  is  true  in  a  general  sense,  when  applied  to  those  who 
fought  on  the  side  of  the  Union  in  the  Civil  War,  it 
should  have  a  double  significance,  for  did  not  the  bravery 
and  patriotism  of  these  men  preserve  our  national  in- 
tegrity, deliver  unto  freedom  millions  of  men  who  had 
previously  been  held  in  bondage ;  but  unknown  even  to 
themselves  evolved  and  developed  in  the  minds  of  our 
patriotic  statesmen  of  that  day,  out  of  the  necessity  and 
circumstances  of  the  Avar,  what  has  since  been  known  as 
the  American  Protective  Tariff  System.  The  advantages 
and  benefits  of  this  system  are  directly  evidenced  by  the 
development  and  prosperity  of  the  community  and  our 
entire  country  during  the  past  fifty  years,  and  the  ex- 
ample set  has  led  to  the  adoption  of  this  system  as  part 
of  the  fiscal  policy  of  every  civilized  nation  in  the  world 
but  one.  Surely  can  it  be  said  of  the  patriotic  soldiers  of 
'60  to  '64,  'they  built  more  wisely  than  they  knew.'  " 

Supplemental. — The  Livingstone  Mills  were  built  by 
Messrs.  Charles  W.  and  Joshua  Peirce,  in  1868,  for  the 
manufacture  of  printed  felt  druggets  and  floor  cloths, 
but  the  character  of  the  product  was  changed  from  year 
to  year  to  meet  the  demands  of  a  changing  market.  The 
coming  of  the  Peirces  to  Bristol  marked  the  beginning 
of  an  era  of  industrial  activity  which  has  continued  ever 
since.  A  large  part  of  the  product  of  the  firm  during  the 
first  few  years  of  its  existence,  consisted  of  ladies'  felt 
skirts,  of  which  2,000  per  day  were  regularly  product. 
The  exhibit  of  the   firm   at  the   Centennial   Exposition, 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 


247 


held  in  Philadelphia  in  1876,  was  attractive  and  varied 
in  character.  The  manufacture  of  felt  cloths  ceased  in 
1882  in  favor  of  medium  and  fine  woolen  cassimeres. 
Charles  W.  Peirce  withdrew  from  the  management  in 
January,  1883,  and  the  business  was  conducted  under  the 
firm  name  of  Joshua  Peirce  &  Co.  Mr.  Peirce  failed  in 
1887.  Subsequently  the  plant  was  purchased  by  Edward 
T.  Steel  &  Co.,  the  present  owners,  and  fitted  out  for  the 
manufacture  of  men's  worsted  fabrics. 


MILLS  OF   EDWARD   T.    STEEL    &   CO. 


The  Bristol  Foundry,  operated  by  T.  B.  Harkins 
Foundry  Company,  was  established  in  1871,  for  the  manu- 
facture of  stove  plate  and  fire  castings.  Though  limited 
in  extent,  this  enterprise  has  been  successful  and  pros- 
perous, and  has  acquired  an  extended  reputation  for 
superiority  of  workmanship. 

The  sash  and  planing  mill  of  Joseph  Sherman  was 
built  in  1873,  was  later  operated  under  the  firm  name  of 
Sherman  &  Peirce,  and  since  the  death  of  the  former 
partner,  has  been  known  as  the  Bristol  Woodworking 
Mill,  operated  by  Peirce  &  Williams.     In  1891  a  disas- 


248  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

trous  fire  burned  the  buildings  to  the  ground,  after  which 
the  splendidly  equipped  factory  of  today  was  erected. 

The  Bristol  Rolling  Mill  was  built  by  Messrs.  Neve- 
gold,  Schiede  &  Co.,  in  1875,  for  the  manufacture  of  hoop, 
scale  and  band  iron  from  scrap  and  muck  bar.  After  the 
withdrawal  of  Frederick  Nevegold,  in  September,  1886, 
the  proprietorship  was  vested  in  the  Bristol  Rolling  Mill 
Company,  which  was  incorporated  in  1881,  with  Charles 
E.  Schiede  president  and  GifTord  L.  Lewis,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Subsequent  to  the  failure  of  the  Bristol  Rolling 
Mill  Company,  the  mill  has  been  operated  at  intervals  by 
the  Bristol  Iron  and  Steel  Company.  The  mill  is  now 
idle  with  very  little  prospects  of  an  early  resumption. 

The  Bristol  Improvement  Company  was  incorporated 
in  1876,  with  a  capital  of  $60,000,  mainly  through  the 
efforts  of  Joshua  Peirce,  to  whom  much  credit  is  due  for 
the  establishment  and  successful  operation  of  the  enter- 
prise. The  purpose  of  the  corporation  was  to  oflfer  facili- 
ties to  manufacturers  desiring  to  locate  here  by  erecting 
a  building  for  their  accommodation,  thus  encouraging 
the  growth  of  manufacturing  industries  in  the  borough. 

The  Bristol  Worsted  Mills,  the  first  erected  by  the 
Bristol  Improvement  Company,  were  established  in  1876, 
by  Messrs.  Grundy  Bros.  &  Campion.  The  senior  part- 
ner, Mr.  Edmund  Grundy,  died  in  1884,  but  the  firm  name 
remained  unchanged  for  two  years  longer.  In  1886  the 
firm  was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  Wm.  H.  Grundy 
&  Co.,  Mr.  Campion  retiring.  The  new  firm  consisted  of 
Wm.  H.  Grundy,  George  A.  Shoemaker  and  Joseph  R. 
Grundy.  After  the  death  of  the  elder  Mr.  Grundy,  in 
1893,  the  partnership  was  continued  between  the  other 
two  members  of  the  firm,  under  the  same  title.  Mr. 
Shoemaker  retired  in  December,  1900,  since  which  time 
the  business  has  been  conducted  by  Mr.  Joseph  R. 
Grundy,  who  is  the  sole  owner.  The  firm  manufactures 
wool  tops  and  worsted  yarns  for  men's  wear,  dress  goods 
and  hosiery  trade,  both  in  grey  and  mixtures.  During 
the  year  1910,  the  firm  erected  a  seven-story  reinforced 
concrete  storehouse,  the  first  building  of  its  character  to 
be  constructed  in  this  vicinity.  The  first  three  stories  of 
the  new  structure,  which  is  parallel  with  the  canal,  are 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  249 

an  extension  to  the  main  mill  and  when  equipped  with 
machinery  will  increase  the  working  force  from  800,  the 
present  number,  to  1,000  hands.  The  plans  for  the  build- 
ing were  drawn  by  the  architectural  firm  of  Messrs.  Hea- 
cock  &  Hokinson,  of  Philadelphia,  which  firm  also  super- 
intended its  construction. 

The  building  is  surmounted  by  a  clock  tower,  the 
heighth  of  which  (from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the 
tower),  is  168  feet,  4  inches.  The  height  of  base  above 
the  ground  is  89  feet ;  from  the  base  to  centre  of  dial  is 
58  feet,  4  inches,  and  the  distance  from  the  centre  of  dial 
to  the  base  of  flag  pole  is  21  feet.  The  length  of  flag  pole 
above  the  roof  is  35  feet,  making  the  total  distance  from 
the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  pole  203  feet,  4  inches.  The 
tower  contains  four  clock  dials,  each  of  which  has  a 
diameter  of  14  feet.  The  tower  is  19  feet  square  and  has 
four  observation  balconies,  one  on  each  side,  134  feet 
above  the  ground.  It  also  contains  four  observation 
windows,  158  feet  above  the  ground.  The  estimated 
weight  of  the  tower  is  225,000  pounds.  The  dials  are  of 
glass,  and  being  illuminated  at  night,  can  be  seen  dis- 
tinctly from  all  parts  of  the  town. 

The  year  following  the  erection  of  the  Bristol  Worsted 
Mills  (1877),  the  Keystone  Mill  was  built  by  the  Bristol 
Improvement  Company  and  leased  to  Messrs.  L.  M.  Har- 
ned  &  Co.,  fringe  manufacturers.  They  occupied  it  but 
a  few  years,  and  in  1885  it  was  leased  to  the  Bristol 
Worsted  Mills  as  a  storehouse  for  wool  and  was  con- 
tinuously rented  by  them  from  year  to  year,  until  the 
building  was  purchased  by  Messrs.  Edward  T.  Steel 
&  Co. 

The  Star  Mill  was  the  third  mill  erected  by  the  Bristol 
Improvement  Company.  It  was  originally  occupied  by 
the  Star  Woolen  Mill  Company,  and  later  by  Joshua 
Peirce  &  Co.,  as  a  cloth  weaving  mill.  When  the  latter 
company  failed  in  1887,  the  mill  was  used  as  a  storehouse 
by  Wm.  H.  Grundy  &  Co.  This  mill  was  annexed  to  the 
Paper  Mill  in  July,  1891. 

Previous  to  the  erection  of  the  Star  Mill,  the  Bristol 
Improvement  Company  had  built  a  small  one-story  build- 
ing, 32  by  50  feet,  for  W^oods  &  Killinger,  to  be  used  as 


250 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


a  keg  factory.  This  building  was  torn  down  to  make 
room  for  the  new  structure,  and  the  keg  factory  was 
removed  to  a  two-story  frame  building,  which  had  been 
erected  along  the  canal  basin  at  the  foot  of  the  Cedar 
Street  hill,  on  ground  owned  by  Dr.  Howard  Pursell. 
The  factory  was  only  in  operation  a  short  time,  when  it 
caught  fire  one  afternoon,  and  was  burned  to  the  ground. 
During  the  conflagration  the  boiler  exploded,  but  no  one 
was  injured. 

After  the  completion  of  the  Star  Mill,  the  large  wall 
paper  mill  was  erected  by  the  Bristol  Improvement  Com- 


PAPER   MILI,  OPERATED  BY  GLEDHILL   WALL   PAPER   CO. 


pany  and  leased  to  Messrs.  Wilson  &  Fenimore.  This 
industry  involved  the  exercise  of  high  artistic  and 
mechanical  talent.  The  firm  sold  out  its  interest  several 
years  ago  to  the  wall  paper  trust,  and  were  succeeded  by 
Kayser  &  Allman  and  later  by  the  Lewis  Chase  Wall 
Paper  Company.  The  mill  today  is  operated  by  the  Glad- 
hill  Wall  Paper  Company. 

The  last  mill  erected  by  the  Bristol  Improvement  Com- 
pany (1877),  was  the  Bristol  Carpet  Mills,  now  owned  by 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 


251 


The  Thomas  L.  I^eedom  Company.  This  firm  removed 
from  Philadelphia  and  manufactures  rugs  and  carpets.  Of 
later  years  close  attention  has  been  given  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  "Wilton  Rug"  industry,  and  by  a  number  of 
improvements  in  its  manufacture,  the  firm  has  become 
the  foremost  producer  in  the  country. 

Of  later  years  the  Bristol  Improvement  Company  has 
been  disposing  of  its  mills  to  its  tenants.  Joseph  R. 
Grundy  has  purchased  the   Bristol   Worsted   Mills;  the 


CARPET    MIIvI^S    OF  THOS.    I,.    I.EEDOM    CO. 


Keystone  Mill  Avas  sold  to  Edv^ard  T.  Steel  &  Co. ;  and 
the  large  carpet  mill  was  bought  by  The  Thomas  L. 
Leedom  Company.  The  only  properties  now  held  by  the 
Bristol  Improvement  Company  are  the  Wall  Paper  Mill 
and  the  Harkin's  Foundry. 

During  the  year  1879,  Clara  Appleton  erected  a  hosiery 
mill  on  Buckley  Street,  near  Beaver  Dam  Road.  It  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  but  later  rebuilt  on  a  smaller  scale  and 
is  now  occupied  by  Wm.  Henderson  for  the  manufacture 
of  carpets. 

Messrs.  D.  E.  Baker  &  Co.,  in  1899,  purchased  the  old 
rubberoid  works  on  Beaver  Street,  and  began  the  manu- 
17 


252  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

facture  of  patent  kid  and  colt  leather.  The  firm  was 
reorganized  in  1900  and  incorporated  as  a  stock  company 
under  the  name  of  the  Corona  Kid  Company.  The  Bris- 
tol Patent  Leather  Company  moved  its  plant  from  Cam- 
den, N.  J.,  to  Bristol  in  1906,  since  which  time  it  has 
rapidly  developed.  Both  companies  are  in  a  flourishing 
condition  and  are  a  valuable  addition  to  the  industrial  life 
of  the  borough. 

The  Standard  Cast  Iron  &  Foundry  Company,  spoken 
of  in  Mr.  Grundy's  paper,  is  located  just  east  of  the  bor- 
ough limits.  It  is  gradually  increasing  its  output  and  al- 
though most  of  its  employees  occupy  houses  erected  by 
the  company  in  the  vicinity  of  its  works,  yet  its  influence 
is  felt  by  the  merchants  of  Bristol,  and  it  is  claimed  as 
one  of  the  town's  most  flourishing  industries. 

Joseph  Ridgway  Grundy. — Proprietor  of  the  Bristol 
Worsted  Mills,  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  manufac- 
turers and  business  men  of  Bucks  County, .was  born  in 
Camden,  New  Jersey,  January  13,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of 
the  late  William  Hulme  and  Mary  (Ridgway)  Grundy, 
and  a  grandson  of  Edmund  and  Rebecca  (Hulme) 
Grundy,  and  is  a  descendant  on  the  maternal  side  from 
the  earliest  English  settlers  on  the  Delaware. 

Edmund  Grundy,  grandfather  of  Joseph  R.,  was  a 
native  of  England,  came  to  this  country  when  a  young 
man  and  located  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  became  a 
prominent  merchant.  He  retired  from  business  in  1856, 
at  the  same  time  moving  to  Walnut  Grove  Farm,  Bristol 
Township,  where  he  resided  until  his  death  in  1878.  He 
married  Rebecca  Hulme,  daughter  of  William  and  Rachel 
(Knight)  Hulme,  of  Hulmeville,  Bucks  County,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  five  children. 

William  Hulme  Grundy,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  the  second  child  of  Edmund  and  Rebecca 
(Hulme)  Grundy,  and  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  De- 
cember, 1836.  He  was  educated  at  a  select  school  in  that 
city  and  at  an  early  age  became  a  clerk  in  a  mercantile 
establishment.  Later  he  entered  into  the  mercantile  trade 
for  himself  in  that  city.  In  1870  he  began  the  manufac- 
ture of  worsted  yarns,  moving  his  plant  to  Bristol,  Bucks 


WILLIAM  H.  GRUNDY. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  253 

County,  in  1876,  establishing  the  Bristol  Worsted  Mills, 
so  long  and  successfully  conducted  by  the  firm  of  Wm. 
H.  Grundy  &  Co.,  of  which  firm  he  was  the  senior  mem- 
ber. It  proved  to  be  one  of  the  important  industries  of 
the  county,  and  gave  employment  to  several  hundred 
hands.  William  H.  Grundy  was  a  public-spirited  and 
broad-minded  business  man,  and  did  much  to  advance 
the  interests  of  his  town.  He  was  president  of  the  Bristol 
Improvement  Company,  and  filled  the  office  of  chief  bur- 
gess of  the  town  for  two  terms.  He  was  always  active 
in  all  that  pertained  to  the  best  interests  of  the  town  and 
won  and  held  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact.  He  was  one  of  the  first  members  of 
the  Union  League  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Manufacturers'  Club  of  that  city.  He  was  also 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  His 
career  of  extraordinary  business  activity  and  usefulness 
was  terminated  by  his  sudden  death  on  October  26,  1893, 
of  heart  disease. 

Mr.  Grundy  married  in  1861,  Mary  Ridgway,  of  New 
Jersey,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Richard  Ridgway,  of  Wel- 
ford,  County  of  Bucks,  England,  who  arrived  in  the 
River  Delaware,  in  the  ship  ''Jacob  and  Mary,"  of  Lon- 
don, in  September,  1679,  and  settled  near  the  Falls  of  the 
Delaware  in  what  is  now  Falls  Township,  Bucks  County, 
where  he  was  a  considerable  land  holder.  The  first  court- 
house of  Bucks  County  was  erected  on  land  belonging  to 
Richard  Ridgway.  Mr.  Ridgway  was  accompanied  to 
America  by  his  wife  Elizabeth  and  son  Thomas,  and 
another  son,  Richard,  was  born  a  few  months  after  their 
arrival.  His  wife  died  in  Bucks  County,  and  in  1699  he 
married  Abigail  Stockton,  of  New  Jersey,  and  thereafter 
made  his  residence  in  Burlington  County,  New  Jersey, 
where  he  became  a  very  prominent  man  and  left  numer- 
ous descendants. 

The  maternal  ancestors  of  William  Hulme  Grund}^ 
were  also  among  the  earliest  English  settlers  of  Bucks 
County.  George  Hulme  and  his  son  George  Hulme,  Jr., 
came  from  England  prior  to  1700,  and  settled  in  Middle- 
town  Township.  George,  Jr.  married,  in  1708,  Naomi 
Palmer,   daughter  of  John   and   Christian   Palmer,   who 


254  A  HISTORY  OF*  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

came  to  Bucks  County  from  Cleveland,  Yorkshire,  arriv- 
ing in  the  Delaware,  September  lo,  1863.  Naomi  only 
survived  her  marriage  a  short  time.  George  Jr.  married 
(second),  her  sister,  Ruth  Palmer,  contrary  to  the  rules 
of  Middletown  Friends'  Meeting,  which  forbid  marriage 
with  a  deceased  wife's  sister,  and  he  was  disowned  by 
the  Meeting.  John  Hulme,  son  of  George  and  Ruth, 
married  Mary  Pearson,  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Margaret 
(Smith)  Pearson,  of  Buckingham,  and  their  son  John 
was  the  founder  of  Hulmeville,  which  still  bears  his  name. 
He  married  Rebecca  Milnor,  daughter  of  William  Milnor, 
of  Penn's  Manor,  and  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  the 
Manor.  In  1796  he  exchanged  his  manor  farm  with 
Joshua  Woolston  for  the  Milford  Mills,  as  Hulmeville 
was  at  that  time  known,  and  subsequently  purchased 
several  hundred  acres  of  land  adjoining,  and  with  his  sons 
William,  John,  Joseph,  George  and  Samuel,  established 
several  new  industries  there  and  laid  out  and  developed 
the  town. 

The  family  were  the  originators  of  the  Farmers'  Bank 
of  Bucks  County,  which  had  its  inception  at  Hulmeville. 
John  Hulme  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  business  men 
of  Bucks  County  and  a  pioneer  in  the  rapid  development 
that  began  in  the  first  quarter  of  a  century  after  the 
Revolution.  His  eldest  son,  William,  was  a  carpenter 
and  cabinet  maker  and  was  associated  with  his  father  in 
the  varied  interests  of  the  town,  and  assisted  materially 
in  its  development.  He  married,  April  17,  1794,  Rachel 
Knight,  and  died  in  1809,  leaving  one  son,  Joseph  K.,  and 
two  daughters,  Susanna  and  Rebecca.  The  latter  was 
born  in  1803  and  became  the  wife  of  Edmund  Grundy. 
She  outlived  all  of  her  generation,  dying  at  her  country 
residence  in  Bristol  Township,  October  26,  1895,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  92  years.  Of  her  five  children,  only  one 
survived  her,  Mrs.  Susan  G.  Harrison.  William  Hulme 
and  Mary  (Ridgway)  Grundy  were  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Joseph  R.,  and  Margaret  R.  Mrs.  Grundy,  who 
is  still  living,  resides  at  Walnut  Grove,  in  Bristol  Town- 
ship, though  much  of  her  time  is  spent  in  traveling  in 
Europe  and  elsewhere.  (Davis'  History  of  Bucks 
County.) 


A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  255 

Bud  Doble,  the  World- Renowned  Horse  Trainer  and 
Jockey. — Bud  Doble,  the  greatest  horse  trainer  and 
jockey  America  has  ever  known,  lived  in  Bristol  during 
the  early  years  of  his  famous  career.  About  1867,  he 
erected  a  large  stable  on  the  west  side  of  Otter  street, 
near  Bath,  and  made  it  the  winter  quarters  for  his  re- 
nowned trotting  horses.  In  January,  1868,  this  stable 
caught  fire  and  burned  to  the  ground,  but  the  horses 
were  saved.  A  new  stable  was  subsequently  built  at  the 
corner  of  Otter  and  Maple  Streets.  In  this  stable  were 
wintered  many  of  the  most  famous  horses  known  to  the 
world  in  that  day.  Among  the  number  may  be  men- 
tioned Goldsmith  Maid,  Dexter,  Lucy,  Lady  Thorn, 
Snow  Ball,  Dot,  Jay  Gould  and  Flora  Temple.  Some- 
times as  many  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  horses  were 
wintered  here  at  one  time.  Mr.  Doble  would  allow  the 
small  boys  of  the  town  to  take  out  the  famous  trotters 
for  exercise,  and  many  of  our  older  men  of  today  hold 
in  their  memory  fond  remembrances  of  having  ridden, 
during  their  boyhood,  upon  the  back  of  some  of  the  fast- 
est horses  in  the  world. 

The  famous  Dexter,  a  brown  gelding,  foaled  1858,  was 
the  first  of  the  great  trotters  that  was  bred  in  conformity 
with  later-day  ideas.  The  track  career  of  this  champion 
covered  but  three  years,  from  1864,  to  1867,  and  in  that 
time  he  performed  in  harness,  under  saddle  and  to  wagon, 
winning  forty-six  contested  races  at  various  hitches  and 
distances,  one  to  three  miles,  and  was  defeated  but  four 
times.  His  essay  against  time  was  October,  1865,  to  beat 
2.19  under  saddle,  and  he  went  the  distance  in  2.18^. 
His  next  time  trial  was  in  1866,  to  beat  his  saddle  record 
and  he  failed.  The  third  was  to  beat  the  harness  record 
of  Flora  Temple,  starting  August  14,  1867,  at  Buffalo, 
and  in  the  second  trial  he  trotted  in  2.17^,  thus  making 
the  world's  record.  This  record  maintained  until  1869, 
when  it  was  passed  over  to  Yankee  Sam,  who  reduced  the 
time  to  2.i6>^. 

The  incomparable  Goldsmith  Maid,  a  bay,  foaled  1857, 
started  on  her  brilliant  career  in  1865,  taking  a  record  of 
2.36.  All  told,  in  the  twelve  years  she  was  on  the  turf, 
she  trotted  135  races,  winning  91.     She  also  won  nine- 


256  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH. 

teen  contests  in  which  the  three  heats  were  in  2.20  or 
better.  Her  total  of  heats  in  races  and  against  time  was 
332.  The  first  time  she  beat  the  2.17^^4  of  Dexter  and 
placed  herself  at  the  head  of  American  trotters  was  Sep- 
tember 6,  1871,  at  the  Cold  Spring  Track,  Milwaukee, 
where  she  defeated  Lucy  in  a  match,  the  second  heat  in 
2.17  flat.  Her  greatest  races  were  against  Lucy,  they 
meeting  many  times,  Lucy  defeating  her  but  three  times. 
Her  next  reduction  of  the  record  was  June  29,  1872,  at 
Mystic  Park,  Boston,  again  defeating  Lucy,  who  forced 
her  out  in  the  second  heat  in  2.16^.  July  16,  1874,  at 
East  Saginaw,  Mich.,  she  cut  the  record  to  2.16,  in  the 
last  heat  of  a  match  with  Judge  Fullerton.  August  7, 
the  same  year,  she  started  at  Buffalo  to  beat  her  record,, 
and  trotted  in  2.15^,  and  the  next  week,  at  Rochester, 
won  the  second  heat  of  a  race  with  Fullerton  and  x\meri- 
can  Girl  in  2.14^.  September  2,  1874,  found  her  at 
Mystic  Park,  where  she  started  against  2,14^,  and  cut 
the  mark  to  2.14,  a  record  which  stood  for  four  years. 
Her  only  approach  to  this  record  was  2.14^,  in  1877,  in 
a  race  with  Rarus,  who  was  destined  to  succeed  her.  The 
only  famous  trotter  of  the  day  that  the  Maid  failed  to 
defeat  was  Lady  Thorn.  Goldsmith  Maid  was  retired 
to  the  breeding  ranks  at  Fashion  Stud,  Trenton,  N.  J. 
The  last  public  appearance  of  the  Maid  was  at  the  first 
National  Horse  Show,  in  1884,  at  Madison  Square  Gar- 
den, when  she  was  paraded  in  the  ring  with  the  ex-cham- 
pion stallion,  Smuggler,  2.15^,  who  defeated  her  in  1876, 
at  Cleveland,  in  one  of  the  greatest  old-time  races  in  the 
Grand  Circuit.  She  died  September,  1885,  at  Fashion 
Stud,  in  her  twenty-eighth  year.  She  and  Lucy,  2.18^4, 
were  inseparable  at  the  farm.  They  were  always  to- 
gether in  pasture  and  had  adjoining  boxes  in  the  big 
barn.  When  the  Maid  was  dying,  Lucy  raged  in  her 
stall  like  a  mad  creature  and  was  inconsolable  for  days. 
They  were  buried  side  by  side. 

Mr.  Doble  removed  from  Bristol  to  California  during 
the  70's  of  the  last  century,  where  he  married  a  daughter 
of  "Lucky"  Baldwin,  the  famous  ranchman  of  Southern 
California.  Mr.  Doble  is  still  living,  spending  his  declin- 
ing years  in  quiet  luxury,  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.     He  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  257 

truly  the   greatest  turfman   of  his  day,   and   since  then 
there  have  been  none  greater. 

Bristol  Water  Company. — The  Bristol  Water  Company 
was  incorporated  August  31,  1874.  The  first  standpipe 
erected  was  140  feet  high.  Pipes  were  laid  through  the 
principal  streets  of  the  town,  and  extended  with  the 
grow^th  and  development  of  the  municipality.  The  com- 
pany w^as  successful  from  the  start  and  for  many  years 
has  paid  a  10  per  cent,  annual  dividend.  In  1895  the 
old  standpipe  was  removed  and  a  new  one,  152  feet  high, 
erected  in  its  place. 

In  1906  the  company  entered  into  a  contract  with  the 
New  York  Continental  Jewelt  Filter  Company  for  a  filter 
plant  with  a  capacity  of  2,000,000  gallons  per  day,  at  a 
cost  of  v$25,ooo.  This  filter  contains  two  coagulating 
tanks  and  four  sand  filters,  occupying  a  space  of  40  by  80 
feet,  with  a  concrete  storage  basin,  40  by  80  by  9  feet  in 
depth,  being  similar  in  all  respects  to  the  Norristown 
Filtering  Plant  except  in  size. 

It  was  during  this  year  (1906)  that  Borough  Council 
began  the  agitation  for  a  municipal  waterworks.  The 
charter  of  the  borough  was  changed  by  an  act  of  the 
State  Legislature,  giving  to  the  borough  greater  borrow- 
ing powers.  A  bitter  controversy  ensued  between  the 
managers  and  stockholders  of  the  company  and  those 
interested  in  the  establishment  of  a  municipal  plant. 
Tuesday,  July  10,  1906,  was  decided  upon  as  the  time 
when  an  election  should  be  held  by  the  citizens  to  decide 
upon  the  expenditure  of  $100,000  for  a  municipal  water 
and  filtration  plant.  In  the  midst  of  the  controversy  the 
water  company  began  the  installation  of  its  filtration 
plant,  but  the  citizens  voted  at  the  election  in  July,  by  a 
large  majority,  in  favor  of  a  municipal  plant.  Litigation 
followed  in  the  courts,  but  all  decisions  favored  the  bor- 
ough's right  to  maintain  a  municipal  plant.  Last  year 
(1910),  the  question  was  revived,  and  Borough  Council 
endeavored  to  purchase  the  Bristol  Water  Works,  but 
without  supcess.  Plans  for  a  new  municipal  plant  have 
been  drawn,  approved  by  the  State  Board  of  Health  and 


258  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

accepted  by  the  Borough  Council,  and  work  on  the  new 
plant  will  begin  soon. 

The    Buckley    Street    Mission    Sunday    School. — The 

Buckley  Street  Mission  Sunday  School  was  instituted 
in  a  small  one-story  building  on  Buckley  Street,  at  the 
end  of  the  mill  yard  of  Thomas  Hughes  &  Co.,  manufac- 
turers of  hosiery  and  underwear,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs,  James 
M.  Slack,  January  3,  1875,  with  sixteen  scholars  and  four 
teachers.  James  M.  Slack  was  its  first  superintendent 
and  held  the  position  continuously  until  his  death.  The 
building  was  erected  by  the  firm  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  school,  and  later  enlarged  as  it  increased  its  mem- 
bership. So  rapidly  did  the  school  grow,  that  two  years 
after  its  institution,  200  scholars  and  eighteen  teachers 
were  enrolled. 

This  increase  in  membership  necessitated  larger  ac- 
commodations, so  the  firm  remodeled  the  building,  adding 
another  story  and  increasing  its  dimensions.  This  en- 
abled the  primary  department,  under  the  charge  of  Mrs. 
Henry  Bailey,  to  meet  in  the  lower  story,  and  the  senior 
scholars  to  have  the  use  of  the  upstairs'  room.  Mr.  Slack 
continued  as  superintendent  until  his  death,  whjch  oc- 
curred in  January,  1888.  Mrs.  Slack  succeeded  her  hus- 
band as  Superintendent,  and  gave  personal  and  financial 
support  to  the  mission. 

The  Christmas  festival  each  year  was  made  particu- 
larly enjoyable  to  the  scholars.  Gifts  were  presented  to 
all,  and  special  prizes  were  awarcjed  for  attendance  dur- 
ing the  past  year.  Mrs.  Slack  always  bore  the  expenses 
herself  and  never  allowed  a  collection  to  be  taken  for 
that  purpose.  She  also  devoted  her  time  and  spared  no 
trouble  in  looking  after  the  personal  welfare  of  the 
scholars.  On  the  occasion  of  one  of  the  Christmas 
festivals,  a  large  fountain  was  placed  in  the  centre  of 
the  room  and  allowed  to  remain  during  the  year.  An 
interesting  feature  of  the  school  was  a  Bible  Class  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty  men,  both  old  and  young,  in  charge 
of  Mrs.  E.  J.  Groom,  who  was  always  present,  as  she 
said,  *'to  look  after  her  boys." 

Mrs.  Slack  had  repeatedly  asserted  her  determination 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  259 

to  discontinue  her  connection  with  the  mission  when  she 
reached  the  age  of  70  years.  When  the  time  came,  how- 
ever, it  was  hard  work  for  her  to  break  the  ties  asunder^ 
and  several  Sundays  passed  before  she  could  say  the 
school  would  close.  Finally,  on  Sunday,  June  27,  1897, 
the  Buckley  Street  Mission  Sunday  School,  after  a  suc- 
cessful existence  of  twenty-two  years,  was  discontinued. 
Following  its  close,  the  members  decided  to  visit  their 
superintendent,  Mrs.  Slack,  on  each  recurring  birthday, 
and  thus  keep  united  the  ties  of  friendship  and  affection 
which  had  bound  them  together  for  so  many  years.  This 
custom  has  been  continued  during  the  thirteen  years 
which  have  intervened  since  the  close  of  the  school,  and 
on  the  evening  of  January  24th,  of  each  year,  the  pleasant 
home  of  Mrs.  Slack,  at  the  corner  of  Radclifife  and  Frank- 
lin Streets,  is  the  scene  of  a  happy  reunion  between  the 
aged  superintendent  and  her  scholars,  and  her  heart  is 
cheered  as  she  hears  the  boys  and  girls  of  former  years 
sing  over  again  the  Gospel  Hymns  she  taught  them  back, 
in  the  olden  days. 

America  Hose,  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  2. — 
The  America  Hose,  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  2, 
was  organized  in  October,  1874,  and  incorporated  Jan- 
uary 12,  1875,  with  fifty  charter  members.  The  names  of 
the  six  men,  which  appear  upon  the  charter  are :  William 
H.  Hall,  John  M.  Callanan,  Richard  E.  Shaw,  Allen  L. 
Garwood,  W.  Harry  Wright  and  B.  C.  Foster.  The  first 
president  of  the  company  was  Allen  L.  Garwood.  On 
October  i,  1876,  just  one  year  after  its  organization.  Bor- 
ough Council  authorized  the  construction  of  a  one-story 
frame  building  on  land  owned  by  the  borough,  at  the 
corner  of  Pond  and  Mulberry  Streets,  for  the  use  of  the 
company,  at  a  cost  of  $545.  In  February,  1882,  the  old 
building  was  torn  down,  and  by  authority  of  Town  Coun- 
cil, a  two-story  brick  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$2,940.  In  more  recent  years  the  company,  with  permis- 
sion of  council,  removed  the  brick  building,  and  had 
erected,  at  its  own  expense,  the  handsome  and  commodi- 
ous stone  building  of  today.  The  building  cost  the  com- 
pany $10,000.    The  first  truck  owned  by  the  company  was 


26o  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

built  by  Wilson  Randall,  the, carriage  builder  on  Bath 
Street,  in  1875,  at  a  cost  of  $650.  After  being  in  constant 
use  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  century,  it  was  supplanted 
by  the  splendid  apparatus  which  is  now  in  the  company's 
possession  today,  and  a  few  years  later  the  old  truck  was 
sold  to  the  Yardley  Fire  Company.  This  company  has 
always  been  noted  for  its  efficiency.  Several  times  it 
has  participated  in  parades  in  Philadelphia  and  other 
cities,  always  making  a  fine  showing.  Its  twenty-fifth 
anniversay  was  celebrated  by  a  banquet  in  Pythian  Hall 
in  October,  1899.  Besides  the  truck,  its  equipment  com- 
prises a  hose  wagon  and  a  hose  carriage. 

A  Fruit  Preserving  Establishment. — Between  1875  and 
1880,  below  Bloomsdale,  and  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
was  located  the  extensive  establishment  of  Nathan  Hell- 
ings,  for  the  preservation  of  fruit.  The  main  building 
was  eighty  by  fifty  with  thick  walls,  and  was 
so  constructed  as  to  avoid  the  outside  changes  of 
temperature,  which  was  maintained  within  at  from  thirty- 
four  to  thirty-six  degrees,  while  a  current  of  dry  air 
passed  constantly  through  the  building,  to  prevent  mois- 
ture. A  large  ice  bed  under  the  centre  of  the  building 
cooled  the  atmosphere  in  summer.  Here  large  quanti- 
ties of  foreign  and  domestic  fruits,  in  season,  were  stored 
for  preservation.  The  storage  capacity  of  the  establish- 
ment was  about  10,000  barrels.  Improvements  in  the 
system  of  fruit  preservation  and  the  development  of 
''cold  storage,"  soon  made  the  Bristol  establishment  im- 
practicable and  it  was  closed  with  a  total  loss  to  the  pro- 
prietor. Subsequently  the  buildings  were  destroyed  by 
fire,  but  the  old  ruins  can  still  be  seen  from  the  decks  of 
the  steamers  which  ply  up  and  down  the  river. 

Reminiscences  of  Bristol  in  1875-1880. — During  this 
period  Bristol  was  about  half  as  large  as  it  is  today,  hav- 
ing a  population  of  5,000.  Joshua  Peirce  was  developing 
the  land  above  Washington  Street,  and  the  Fifth  Ward 
was  a  possibility  of  the  remote  future.  The  Bristol  Im- 
provement Company  had  been  organized  and  Grundy's 
mill  was  the  first  to  be  erected.     The  Fourth  W^ard  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  261 

but  Sparsely  settled,  while  the  Third  Ward  was  under- 
going the  process  of  development.  Samuel  Swain  and 
Walter  Laing  had  divided  the  land  south  of  Swain  Street 
into  building  lots,  opened  up  Swain,  Linden,  Locust  and 
Maple  Streets,  and  through  the  agency  of  the  old  Home 
and  Cottage  Building  Associations,  were  rapidly  selling 
the  land.  The  old  Wood  Street  and  Otter  Street 
(Mohican  Hall),  school  buildings,  had  been  erected  and 
many  of  the  boys  of  that  generation,  from  all  over  the 
town,  received  their  elementary  training  within  the  walls 
of  the  latter  building. 

The  old  Pennsylvania  Railroad  freight  depot  stood  on 
the  east  side  of  the  tracks,  just  above  the  passenger 
depot,  with  a  frontage  on  Pond  Street.  Wm.  H.  P.  Hall 
was  freight  agent,  and  occupied  a  frame  office  attached 
to  the  southern  end  of  the  building.  Somewhere  between 
it  S,nd  the  passenger  station  was  a  foot  bridge,  which 
passed  over  the  top  of  the  tracks,  with  steps  leading  up  on 
both  sides.  J.  Merrick  Brown  was  ticket  agent  at  the 
passenger  depot  and  also  looked  after  the  baggage  de- 
partment, as  well  as  the  Adams'  Express  business.  Along 
the  race,  just  opposite  the  depot,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
tracks,  was  a  frame  house  occupied  by  a  noted  character. 
Jack  Kelly,  or  more  commonly  known  as  "Rabbit  Eggs," 
and  his  associate  "Poll  Scott."  Farther  up  towards  Mul- 
berry Street  stood  a  row  of  small  houses  called  "Rotten 
Row,"  or  "Bed  Bug  Row,"  and  back  of  them,  along  the 
mill  race  stood  another  house  or  two.  Along  the  track 
in  front  of  "Bed  Bug  Row,"  Avere  located  the  water  tanks 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  But  two  tracks  passed 
through  the  town  and  the  course  of  the  railroad  ran 
along  the  old  roadbed  just  back  of  Otter  Street.  Gates 
had  not  yet  been  placed  at  the  Mill  Street  crossing,  but  a 
flagman  was  on  duty.  Accidents  frequently  occurred  and 
many  men  and  boys  were  killed  in  attempting  to  steal 
fruit  from  the  moving  trains. 

The  grist  mill  which  now  stands  in  ruins  near  the  cor- 
ner of  Mill  and  Pond  Streets  was  operated  with  water 
power,  which  produced  a  current  in  the  basin  below, 
which  furnished  a  rendezvous  for  Bristol's  famous  her- 
ring.    As  many  as  fifteen  dip-nets  were  often  in  use  at 


262  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

one  time  and  what  a  happy  time  it  was,  when  a  school  of 
herring  came  up  the  basin  attracted  by  the  current. 
Twenty-five  or  thirty  and  sometimes  fifty  at  a  dip,  was 
an  occasional  occurrence.  The  old  saw  mill  was  also  a 
place  of  interest,  with  its  long  incline  running  down  to 
the  log  pound  in  the  basin  below.  The  boys  of  that 
period  found  pleasure  in  watching  the  logs  pulled  up 
the  incline  into  the  mill,  and  then,  when  they  were  in 
position,  through  the  kindness  of  the  sawyer,  Thomas 
Harrison,  were  allowed  to  ride  forward  and  backward 
on  the  carrier  frame,  while  the  saw  ploughed  its  way 
through  the  log. 

On  the  south  side  of  Mill  Street,  at  the  junction  of  the 
railroad  and  the  street,  stood  a  brick  house  occupied  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Sutch.  Between  the  house  and  the 
railroad  tracks  was  a  pair  of  steps  leading  down  to  the 
tow  path  below.  On  the  other  side  at  the  northwest 
intersection  of  the  track  and  the  street,  Charles  Osmond 
ran  a  bakery,  and  at  the  end  of  his  property  another  pair 
of  steps  ran  down  to  the  towpath.  When  the  crossing 
was  blocked,  the  travel  was  diverted,  passing  down  the 
steps,  under  the  railroad  bridge,  by  way  of  the  towpath 
and  up  the  steps  on  the  other  side.  Adjoining  the  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sutch  was  a  tin  shop,  the  proprietor  of 
which  was  Courtland  Lynn.  On  the  corner  next  to  the 
race  stood  a  blacksmith  shop  and  its  tenant  may  have 
been  a  man  named  Craven.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
railroad  between  the  Owl  Club  and  the  canal,  was  a 
wagon  road  running  down  the  hill  underneath  the  old 
railroad  to  a  canal  stable  situated  near  the  overflow.  One 
night,  shortly  after  the  borough  had  purchased  its  new 
Silsby  steam  fire  engine,  this  stable  caught  fire,  and  in 
going  down  the  hill  the  smoke  stack  struck  the  bridge 
and  it  broke  off,  so  that  the  steamer  was  run  that  night 
with  a  barrel  for  a  smoke  stack.  It  proved  a  disastrous 
fire  and  several  mules  were  burned  to  death. 

The  old  forge  was  standing  on  the  east  side  of  the 
tracks  near  the  Otter  Street  school  building.  It  was  in 
operation  only  a  short  time  during  this  period,  and  some 
of  the  machinery  was  eventually  sold  to  the  rolling  mill, 
which  was  then  operated  by  Nevegold  &  Schiede.      Be- 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  263 

tween  the  forge  and  the  canal  bridge  stood  two  or  three 
small  houses.  Modus  Stroble,  a  sturdy  type  of  our  early 
German  settlers,  conducted  a  harness  making  establish- 
ment in  the  property  now  occupied  by  the  Owl  Club. 
William  Blackwood  ran  a  bakery  at  the  corner  of  Bath 
and  Otter  Streets.  Israel  Tomlinson  occupied  the  old 
stone  house  at  the  west  corner  of  Bath  and  Otter  Streets. 
Wilson  Closson  was  proprietor  of  the  Closson  House. 

The  Bath  Springs  Hotel  was  still  standing,  being  still 
in  use  for  summer  boarders.  Jared  Hellings  was  the  pro- 
prietor. A  bath  house  stood  in  the  mill  pond  and  a 
pavilion  still  remained  near  the  famous  spring.  Near 
the  creek  was  a  bowling  alley,  which  burned  to  the 
ground  one  night  before  the  fire  department  could  render 
assistance.  Occasional  excursions  still  came  up  on  the 
boat,  some  bringing  music  with  them. 

Baseball  occupied  the  attention  of  Bristol's  sporting 
men  just  as  it  does  today.  The  old  ''Athletics"  played 
on  a  lot  between  Washington  and  Lafayette  Streets. 
Later,  Simon's  field,  opposite  the  Bristol  Cemetery,  was 
leased.  It  was  here  that  baseball  saw  its  greatest  de- 
velopment. The  old  Keystone  Club  was  almost  invinci- 
ble. Mixed  clubs,  composed  of  Bristol  and  Burlington 
players  struggled  with  the  Keystone  again  and  again  for 
supremacy.  It  was  during  these  struggles  that  the 
curved  ball  was  brought  out,  which  made  such  a  revolu- 
tion in  baseball  circles.  The  Jerseymen  brought  the 
curved  ball  over  from  Burlington  and  the  names  of 
Bottle  Burr,  Frank  Schuyler  and  Godie  Brotherton  are 
fresh  in  memory  today. 

An  amusing  incident  occurred  during  this  period  of 
baseball  history.  The  laws  of  the  game  were  changed  so 
that  the  pitcher  in  throwing  a  ball  must  keep  his  arm 
below  his  hip.  One  of  the  pitchers  of  the  Bristol  team 
was  Mr.  Dickie,  who  was  a  local  manufacturer.  He 
violated  the  rule  so  often,  that  the  umpire  was  obliged  to 
warn  him,  saying:  "Get  your  hand  down,  Mr.  Dickie!" 
This  expression  seemed  to  make  a  humorous  impression 
upon  the  youthful  minds  and  it  became  a  by-word. 
Wherever  Mr.  Dickie  went  he  heard  this  expression.  The 
small  boys  would  meet  his  carriage  at  the  Mill   Street 


264  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

crossing  and  follow  it  down  Otter  Street  to  the  ball 
grounds,  shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices :  "Get  your 
hand  down,  Mr.  Dickie  !" 

It  was  during  this  period  that  Patchem  Flynn,  who 
afterward  became  a  pitcher  for  the  local  team,  learned  to 
pitch  a  curved  ball.  John  Tyrol,  Vivian  Potts  and  many 
other  boys  of  this  period  became  adepts  in  the  same  line, 
and  soon  the  curved  ball  became  a  feature  in  local  ama- 
teur as  well  as  professional  baseball  circles.  The  ball 
field  was  subsequently  removed  to  the  Fourth  Ward, 
where,  on  one  occasion,  "Billy  Downing,"  the  pitcher  of 
the  local  team,  while  at  the  bat,  was  struck  in  the  temple 
by  an  inshoot,  knocking  him  senseless,  and  putting  an 
end  to  his  baseball  aspirations,  for  he  played  little  after 
that  occasion.  Mr.  Downing  is  still  living  and  conducts 
a  flour  and  feed  business  on  Mill  Street. 

The  circuses  of  these  days  traveled  in  wagons  on  the 
road,  and  what  fun  it  was  for  the  boys  to  arise  early  in 
the  morning  and  meet  the  wagons  at  Otter  Creek  bridge. 
The  bridge  was  a  weak  structure  and  the  elephants  were 
taken  down  the  bank  and  waded  across  the  creek.  The 
tent  wagons  always  arrived  first.  Later  in  the  morning 
the  circus  proper  would  arrive.  Stopping  on  South  Otter 
Street  they  would  form  in  line  and  parade  through  the 
town  to  the  lot  on  which  the  tents  had  been  erected.  On 
one  occasion,  the  band  wagon  was  drawn  by  forty  horses, 
driven  by  one  man.  It  was  considered  a  wonderful  feat, 
and  was  talked  over  in  the  town  for  many  days  after- 
ward. The  circuses  of  this  period  seemed  better  than 
they  are  today,  because  the  clown  was  a  more  important 
part  of  the  show.  Perhaps  many  of  our  readers  will  re- 
member McGinley's  Circus  and  Cole's  Circus,  both  of 
which  made  yearly  visits  to  the  town.  Dan  Gardiner  was 
the  greatest  leaper  that  Bristol  people  have  ever  seen  and 
the  number  of  horses,  camels  and  elephants  he  could  leap 
over,  at  the  same  time  turning  a  double  somersault  in 
the  air,  was  wonderful  to  behold. 

The  temperance  question  was  agitating  the  minds  of 
the  people  and  outdoor  meetings  were  held  in  the  old 
grove,  which  was  situated  on  Pond  Street  above  DeWitt's 
greenhouses.    An  orator  named  William  A.  Lafferty  was 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  265 

prominent  in  the  temperance  work.  One  evening  a  hotel 
keeper  signed  the  pledge  and  the  next  day  the  liquor  from 
his  hotel  was  poured  out  on  the  hill  adjoining  Dr.  Pur- 
sell's  drug  store.  Meetings  were  also  held  in  Cabeen's 
Hall.  A  strong  branch  of  the  Catholic  T.  A.  B.  Society 
was  in  existence  and  temperance  meetings  w^ere 
frequently  held  in  St.  Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
which  were  largely  attended. 

Bunker  Hill  rose  out  of  the  marsh  in  majestic  splendor. 
It  was  situated  just  back  of  the  old  forge,  and  a  remnant 
of  it  exists  today.  At  one  time  it  was  thought  a  paper 
mill  would  be  erected  thereon.  A  well  was  sunk,  but  for 
some  reason  the  work  was  abandoned.  Later,  when  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  changed  its  roadbed  to  its  present 
location,  Bunker  Hill  was  purchased  and  the  earth  used 
for  the  road's  embankment.  For  several  years  a  man 
named  Fiddle  and  his  wife,  lived  on  the  side  of  the  hill 
in  an  old  canal  boat.  He  dealt  in  rags,  bones  and  old 
iron  and  kept  a  large  flock  of  geese.  Mrs.  Fiddle  was 
quick  tempered  and  w^ould  often  get  a  gun  and  make  the 
boys  run,  when  she  could  stand  their  conduct  no  longer. 
On  the  south  side  of  the  hill,  there  was  a  favorite  spot 
where  the  boys  liked  to  bathe,  and  in  winter  time  the 
north  side  made  a  delightful  coasting  ground.  When  the 
ice  on  the  marsh  was  in  good  condition,  the  impetus 
secured  from  the  ride  down  the  hill  would  carry  the  coast- 
ers half  way  across  to  the  overflow.  One  night,  after  the 
canal  boat  home  had  been  vacated  by  its  occupants,  it 
was  set  on  fire.  A  snow  storm  was  raging  at  the  time 
and  it  made  a  beautiful  sight.  In  fact,  such  a  vivid  im- 
pression did  it  make  upon  the  memories  of  those  who 
lived  at  this  period,  that  today,  whenever  they  indulge  in 
reminiscences,  the  Bunker  Hill  fire  is  always  mentioned. 

Bristol  in  these  days,  had  two  brass  bands  and  a  drum 
corps.  The  latter  was  first  organized  in  connection  with 
H.  Clay  Beatty  Post  No.  73,  G.  A.  R.,  and  met  weekly 
for  practice  in  Henry  Rue's  carpenter  shop  on  Otter 
Street.  The  T.  A.  B.  Band  met  in  the  upper  store  of  the 
building  adjoining  Harry  Vanhorn's  (A.  Petty)  black- 
smith shop  on  the  same  street.  The  Washington  Band, 
which  was  one  of  the  very  best  bands  the  town  ever  had. 


266  A  HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

was  organized  in  about  1879,  in  the  room  in  Washington 
Hall,  now  occupied  by  H.  Clay  Beatty  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  but 
then  used  by  a  social  organization  called  the  Washing- 
ton Assembly.  Later  the  band  met  in  the  upper  story  of 
the  hose  house  of  the  Bristol  Hosiery  Mills'  Fire  Brigade, 
on  Buckley  Street.  This  building  was  afterward  moved 
to  the  corner  of  the  Beaver  Dam  Road  and  Buckley 
Street,  and  turned  into  a  residence.  The  services  of  the 
Washington  Band  were  in  great  demand,  and  during  the 
Garfield-Hancock  campaign  it  filled  several  important  en- 
gagements. The  band  was  under  the  leadership  of  John 
Cotshott,  who  was  a  cornet  player  of  rare  ability.  Among 
the  surviving  members  are  Alexander  Watson,  Joshua 
Townsend,  Patrick  Morris  and  Thomas  Keating.  The 
band  was  in  existence  about  ten  years. 

A  review  of  the  business  places  on  Mill  Street  will 
probably  prove  interesting  reading  to  many.  Jacob  Mc- 
Brien  conducted  a  harness  making  shop  where  Mcll- 
vaine's  bottling  establishment  now  stands.  William 
Terneson  was  the  proprietor  of  a  shoe  store  at  the  corner 
of  Mill  and  Pond  Streets.  John  Bostwick's  photograph 
gallery  was  in  the  building  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Win- 
ders. Cabeen  and  Beatty  ran  a  store  on  the  opposite  cor- 
ner and  the  hall  in  the  second  story,  then  known  as 
Cabeen's  Hall,  was  in  the  zenith  of  its  popularity.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Tom  Thumb,  Commodore  Nut,  Professor  Wey- 
man  the  magician,  and  Blind  Tom,  have  all  performed  on 
its  platform.  On  one  occasion  a  traveling  mesmerist 
came  to  town  and  gave  a  series  of  exhibitions  in  the  hall. 
He  was  a  clever  performer  and  took  his  subjects  from 
the  audience,  putting  them  through  all  sorts  of  laughable 
stunts.  The  exhibitions,  however,  raised  a  howl  of  pro- 
test, but  nevertheless  the  hall  was  packed  every  night. 
Uncle  Amos  Lippincott  conducted  a  tobacco  shop,  sand- 
witched  in  between  H.  S.  Rue's  residence  and  Ruby's  five 
and  ten  cent  store.  John  H.  Wood  was  in  business 
where  Harry  Smith  now  is,  at  the  corner  of  Mill  and 
Wood  Streets.  The  lot  on  the  southeast  corner  was  un- 
occupied and  was  a  rendezvous  for  every  traveling  show 
that  came  along.  It  was  here  in  a  side  show,  where  many 
Bristol  people  first  saw  the  fantoscope,  sword  swallow- 


A  HISTORY  OP  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  267 

ing,  feats  in  magic  and  ventriloquism.  Traveling  medi- 
cine men  also  occupied  the  lot  and  during  the  summer 
there  was  hardly  a  night  when  some  "faker"  was  not  per- 
forming upon  it.  The  boys  of  this  period  will  recall 
Johnnie  Steen,  the  bootblack  man,  who  was  perhaps  the 
foremost  among  them.  Old  Mr.  Pennington  kept  a  store 
in  Joseph  Vansant's  property  next  to  ''The  Bristol." 
Louis  Hoguet  was  a  druggist,  having  been  succeeded  in 
later  years  by  E.  C.  Erthal.  Nathan  Tyler's  clothing 
store  stood  on  the  site  where  the  Family  Theatre  now 
stands.  Over  in  front  of  the  Bristol  House,  now  occupied 
by  Charles  Rommell,  stood  a  high  flag  pole,  owned  by 
the  borough,  and  when  the  new  steam  fire  engine  was 
purchased  by  Fire  Company  No.  i,  the  firemen  used  to 
test  it  by  trying  to  throw  a  stream  over  the  top  of  the 
pole.  The  postoffice  was  on  Mill  Street,  next  to  Tyler's 
clothing  store  and  Jessie  Miers  was  postmaster.  Dr. 
Howard  Pursell  conducted  a  drug  store,  as  he  does  today, 
at  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Cedar  Streets. 

John  McOwen  kept  a  shoe  store  in  the  building  now 
occupied  by  Kidd's  dining  room.  Charles  Woolman 
occupied  an  old  building  which  stood  on  the  site  of  Weis- 
blatt's  store.  Rogers  Brothers  operated  the  Bristol  Mills. 
In  an  old  building  adjoining  Cabeen  &  Beatty  (Bell), 
William  Broadnax  was  in  business  and  the  Louderbough 
sisters  conducted  a  store  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street. 
Samuel  Scott  occupied  the  store  now  owned  by  William 
Girton,  and  W.  H.  P.  Hall  lived  in  the  dwelling  now  occu- 
pied by  W.  M.  Downing.  Hibbs  Goforth  kept  a  store 
next  door  in  a  building  later  occupied  by  George  L.  Horn 
as  a  residence,  and  Wm.  Blackwood  had  removed  from 
the  corner  of  Mill  and  Otter  Streets  to  the  building  next 
door.  On  the  other  side  of  the  street,  in  the  dwelling 
now  occupied  by  H.  S.  Rue,  his  father,  Samuel  Rue,  re- 
sided and  conducted  the  undertaking  business.  Charles 
Douglass  was  in  the  tin  business  where  the  Chinese 
laundry  now  is,  and  next  door  a  store  was  kept  by  a 
Mrs.  Gear.  H.  G.  Peters  was  in  the  drug  business  in 
the  Allen  building,  where  Wollard's  shoe  store  is  located, 
and  George  Allen  was  in  business  in  the  store  now  run 
by  Johnson  Brothers.  Joseph  Foster  conducted  a  jewelry 
18 


268  A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Store  on  the  opposite  corner  and  next  door,  in  the  build- 
ing now  used  as  an  office  by  the  Bristol  Gas  Light  Com- 
pany, a  hardware  store  was  run  by  a  Mr.  Thomas,  who 
was  the  father  of  Jessie  O.  Thomas.  Mrs.  J.  M.  Brown 
was  in  business  next  door  and  next  door  to  Mrs.  Brown's, 
Charles  Ahlee  conducted  a  candy  store.  Mr.  Gear  had 
a  shoe  store  in  the  little  building  later  used  by  the  Bristol 
Courier  and  next  door  was  the  residence  and  adjoining 
thereto  the  butcher  shop  of  Hazel  Hibbs.  On  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  street,  in  the  McMullen  building,  a  Mrs. 
Hamilton  kept  a  store.  Frank  N.  Booz  kept  a  lamp  store 
where  Mr.  Roper  lives,  and  ran  an  oil  route.  John  M. 
Callanan  kept  a  toy  store  and  news  agency  where  Whit- 
aker's  shoe  store  now  is.  On  the  other  side  Brown's 
millinery  store  was  a  popular  place,  and  in  the  adjoining 
building,  Harry  Bradfield  conducted  a  music  store.  Next 
door  but  one,  in  the  ''Ark"  building,  a  store  was  run  by  a 
Mrs.  Jewitt.  Jesse  Jackson  kept  a  candy  store  where 
Claud  Harris  is  now  in  business,  and  Richard  Trudgen 
was  in  the  furniture  business  next  door,  where  the  news 
agency  is  now  established.  Dr.  E.  J.  Groom  occupied 
his  residence  next  door,  and  down  the  hill,  back  of  Dr. 
Pursell's  drug  store,  was  a  keg  factory,  operated  by 
Joseph  Wood.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Mrs. 
McCorkle  kept  a  millinery  store  on  the  east  corner  of 
Mill  and  Cedar  Streets  and  Joseph  Kinsey  ran  the  hard- 
ware store  where  the  Wright  Brothers  now  conduct  their 
business.  Thomas  Barnard  was  proprietor  of  the  tin 
shop  now  owned  by  L.  J.  Bevan.  The  Railroad  House 
was  conducted  by  W.  H.  H.  Fine.  Of  all  the  business  or 
professional  men,  who  were  located  on  Mill  Street,  three 
decades  ago,  only  three  remain  in  business  today. 

The  men  of  this  period,  in  addition  to  those  already 
mentioned,  who  occupied  prominent  places  in  the  life  of 
the  borough  were :  Joshua  Peirce,  William  H.  Grundy, 
Charles  E.  Schiede,  Charles  W.  Peirce,  Joseph  Peirce, 
William  Kinsey,  John  S.  Brelsford,  James  Foster,  Joseph 
Foster,  James  Brudon,  J.  G.  Krichbaum,  Wilson  Randall, 
Squire  James  Lyndell,  J.  Wesley  Wright,  James  Wright, 
Charles  E.  Scott,  William  Bailey,  Dr.  W.  T.  Potts,  Henry 
M.  Wright,  W.  H.  P.  Hall,  Allan  L.  Garwood,  Edmund 
Lawrence,  Ellwood  Doron,  Michael  Dougherty,  Wm.  H. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  269 

Booz,  R.  W.  Holt,  T.  B.  Harkins,  Joseph  Sherman,  Sym- 
ington Phillips,  James  M.  Slack,  Charles  York,  Jonathan 
Wright,  A.  L.  Packer,  Charles  Wollard  and  Morton  A. 
Walmsley. 

The  Clark  Insulated  Wire  Company. — About  the  year 
1878,  Henry  A.  Clark  came  to  Bristol,  and  purchasing  a 
piece  of  land  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  facing  on 
Beaver  Dam  Road,  erected  a  building  and  began  the 
manufacture  of  grossamer  cloth.  Mr.  Clark  was  a  chem- 
ist of  unusual  ability  and  his  new  enterprise  met  with 
success  from  the  beginning.  His  plant  was  known  far 
and  wide  as  the  Bristol  Rubberoid  Works.  In  his  chemical 
experiments,  Mr.  Clark  discovered  a  method  of  insulating 
wire,  and  needing  additional  capital  in  his  business,  organ- 
ized a  corporation  known  as  the  Clark  Insulated  Wire 
Company.  Lack  of  harmony  among  the  stockholders, 
however,  soon  caused  Mr.  Clark  to  withdraw,  and  taking 
the  secret  of  manufacture  with  him,  the  company  soon 
failed.  Mr.  Clark  was  a  man  of  pleasing  personality,  and 
enjoyed  a  wide  circle  of  friends,  who  deeply  regretted 
his  removal  from  the  town. 

Washington  Street  School  House. — On  June  26,  1878, 
there  was  an  interesting  event  in  Bristol  at  3  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  there  was  a  procession  of  school 
children,  led  by  their  teachers,  from  the  Wood  Street 
school  to  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Pond  Streets, 
where  the  corner  stone  of  the  new  school  building  was 
laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 

Professor  Krichbaum,  standing  near  the  corner  of  the 
building,  announced  the  opening  ceremony;  a  prayer  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Cunningham,  of  the  Bristol  M.  E.  Church,  after 
which  the  school  sang  a  selection :  "Live  and  Learn,"  and 
Dr.  Cunningham  delivered  a  short  address.  After  a  song 
by  the  secondary  school,  Professor  Krichbaum  announced 
the  contents  of  the  copper  box  about  to  be  deposited  in 
the  corner  stone  to  be  as  follows :  Names  of  the  officers 
of  the  United  States  government,  names  of  the  State 
officers  and  of  the  Borough  Council  and  Borough  officers, 
names  of  the  School  Board  and  ministers  of  the  different 
churches,  names  of  the  directors  of  the  Farmers'  National 
Bank,  copies  of  the  latest  issues  of  the  Bucks  County 


270 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


Gazette,  Bristol  Observer,  Bucks  County  Intelligencer 
and  Doylestown  Democrat  and  some  old  coins  and  frac- 
tional currency. 

The  box  was  then  deposited,  after  a  few  remarks  by 
Professor  Krichbaum. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Public  School  Board,  held  May  10, 
1877,  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  school  house  in  the 
upper  end  of  the  town,  on  a  lot  recently  purchased  of 
Ell  wood  Doron,  at  a  price  of  $1,600,  and  a  committee 
composed  of  John  W.  Bailey,  W.  H.  Hall  and  Dr.  John 


WASHINGTON    STREET    PUBLIC    SCHOOL. 


Ward,  Avas  appointed  to  make  all  necessary  inquiry  as  to 
the  cost  of  erecting  a  suitable  building  of  brick  or  stone. 
This  committee  visited  three  school  houses  in  Camden, 
N.  J.,  and  recommended  that  the  board  use  as  its  model 
the  Central  school  house,  of  that  city.  The  plans  were 
drawn  and  bids  asked  for.  Twelve  bids  were  received, 
but  all  were  rejected  because  the  amounts  w^ere  in  excess 
of  that  which  the  board  had  decided  to  expend.     At  the 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  2/1 

next  meeting  the  committee  submitted  a  plan  which 
they  thought  would  lessen  the  cost  of  construction,  but  it 
was  rejected.  A  new  committee  was  appointed  consisting 
of  John  S.  Brelsford,  John  Ward  and  Joseph  H.  Foster, 
to  confer  with  the  architect  and  have  his  plans  modified. 
The  new  plan  provided  for  a  two-story  school  house  con- 
taining four  rooms,  which  was  adopted  by  the  board. 
The  contract  was  awarded  to  F.  P.  Crichton,  at  a  cost  of 
$6,529,  the  building  to  be  of  stone.  The  board  appointed 
E.  C.  Brudon,  J.  W.  Bailey  and  W.  H.  Hill  as  a  building 
committee,  to  superintend  the  construction  of  the  new 
school  house.  It  was  later  decided  to  install  an  improved 
system  of  ventilation  at  a  cost  of  $315.  The  building  was 
completed  in  December  and  dedicated  on  Friday,  Janu- 
ary 3rd,  1879,  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  It  was  opened 
for  school  purposes  on  Monday  morning,  January  6th, 
with  the  following  corps  of  teachers :  First  Primary, 
Maggie  Stewart;  Second  Primary,  Ellie  M.  Turner; 
Third  Primary,  Emily  H.  Stackhouse;  Secondary,  No.  2, 
Sarah  J.  Repsher. 

(The  author  was  in  the  procession  of  school  children,  which 
marched  to  the  site  of  the  new  building  and  participated  in  the 
corner  stone  exercises,  and  later  was  selected  as  one  of  the  boys  to 
place  crayon  drawings  upon  the  blackboards  at  the  time  of  the 
dedication  of  the  building.) 

An  Exciting  Election;  Ballot  Box  Stolen. — Bristol  has 
been  the  scene  of  many  political  fights,  but  none  have  so 
inflamed  the  public  mind  or  lingered  longer  in  memory, 
than  the  one  here  related. 

*'As  a  result  of  the  fight  of  the  Young  Democracy  of 
Bristol  to  obliterate  the  'Ring  Combine,'  a  sensational 
episode  took  place  on  Saturday,  September  21,  1878,  at 
the  delegate  election  which  was  held  in  the  town  hall,  an 
occurrence  which  is  frequently  referred  to  even  to  this 
day.  It  was  a  battle  of  ballots  and  terminated  in  the  theft 
of  the  ballot  box. 

"The  Young  Democracy  and  their  opponents  locked 
horns  with  a  vengeance  and  from  4  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon until  8  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  the  polls  closed, 
the  town  hall  was  a  centre  of  attraction  to  individuals  of 


272  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

all  parties.  The  contest  was  for  the  election  of  delegates 
to  the  county  convention,  which  was  to  meet  at  Doyles- 
town  on  the  Monday  following.  There  were  two  sets  of 
delegates  voted  for — one  the  old  and  the  other  the  young 
Democracy.  The  ring  fought  desperately  and  contested 
the  ground  inch  by  inch,  the  first  attempt  being  to 
exclude  from  the  room  two  representatives  of  the  Young 
Democracy,  who  were  selected  to  act  in  the  capacity  of 
Visiting  statesmen,'  to  see  that  their  party's  interests 
were  carefully  looked  after.  But  a  letter  was  produced 
from  the  County  Chairman  at  Doylestown,  saying  that 
the  Young  Democracy  would  be  allowed  such  representa- 
tion, so  the  ring  scored  their  first  defeat. 

"When  the  polls  closed  it  was  apparent  to  everybody 
who  had  watched  the  progress  of  the  fight,  that  the 
younger  branch  of  the  party  was  victorious.  When  the 
officers  appointed  by  the  County  Committee  to  count  the 
vote  closed  the  doors,  the  two  'visiting  statesmen'  re- 
fused to  leave  the  room  although  Constable  Louderbough 
was  called  on  by  the  ring  to  put  them  out. 

"One  of  the  ring  representatives  on  the  election  board 
said  he  would  not  count  the  vote  while  these  men  re- 
mained in  the  room,  but  as  they  showed  no  disposition  to 
depart  he  became  uneasy,  and  pretending  to  take  a  philo- 
sophical view  of  the  matter,  went  to  the  back  window  and 
suddenly  seizing  the  ballot  box,  thrust  it  out  of  the  win- 
dow to  one  of  his  colleagues  who  was  waiting  to 
receive  it. 

"As  soon  as  the  representatives  of  the  Young  Demo- 
cracy saw  the  game,  they  gave  the  alarm  to  their  friends, 
who  were  gathered  in  force  outside  the  building,  them- 
selves jumping  out  the  window. 

"As  soon  as  the  alarm  was  given  the  crowd  outside 
hurried  around  to  the  back  of  the  hall  and  before  the 
ballot  box  thief  got  very  far  he  was  headed  off  by  one 
of  the  Young  Democracy.  Other  parties  quickly  coming 
up,  in  an  instant  the  ballot  box  was  taken  from  the  cul- 
prit, and  he  was  knocked  to  the  ground.  When  he 
attempted  to  rise,  twice  in  succession  he  was  laid  out 
again,  but  finally  was  taken  in  charge  by  Policeman  Sax- 


A    HISTORY   OF  BRISTOI.   BOROUGH.  273 

ton,  who  took  him  to  the  Cottage  Hotel  (Silbert  House), 
in  a  rather  damaged  condition. 

''The  election  officers,  seeing  the  way  the  battle  was 
raging,  thought  discretion  the  better  part  of  valor  and 
left  the  hall,  in  their  haste  blowing  out  the  gas  instead 
of  turning  it  off.  When  the  Young  Democracy  returned 
with  the  ballot  box  in  their  possession  to  count  the  vote, 
they  could  not  find  the  ring  representatives  and  pro- 
ceeded to  count  the  votes  themselves,  which  showed  that, 
after  allowing  the  ring  (Old  Democracy),  to  have  the 
twenty-one  votes  which  were  missing  (for  careful  tally 
had  been  kept,  from  which  it  was  known  that  304  votes 
had  been  polled),  the  Young  Democracy  had  172  votes 
and  the  ring  only  132,  thus  giving  the  former  forty 
majority. 

''When  the  vote  had  been  counted  and  the  Young 
Democracy  were  announced  the  victors,  a  large  delega- 
tion of  them  got  together  and  with  fife  and  drum  made  a 
'royal  progress'  through  the  town,  paying  particular 
attention  to  stop  before  the  residences  of  the  ballot  box 
thieves  and  others  of  the  same  party,  and  serenaded  them 
with  their  fine  instrumental  music,  accompanied  by  vocal 
strains  of  very  significant  sentiments. 

"The  excitement  continued  until  after  midnight,  and 
all  the  next  day  groups  of  men  were  to  be  seen  upon  the 
streets,  discussing  the  proceedings  of  the  night  before 
and  upon  all  hands,  the  action  of  the  'ring'  in  stealing  the 
ballot  box  was  condemned  in  the  strongest  manner." 

Although  thirty-two  years  have  passed  since  this  occur- 
rence took  place,  yet  the  incidents  of  that  night  are  fresh 
in  memory  today,  and  although  many  battles  with  the 
ballot  have  been  fought  since  that  time,  yet  the  battle  of 
that  memorable  day  in  September,  1878,  stands  out  pre- 
eminently as  the  most  exciting  ever  waged  in  the  bor- 
ough.    (Taken  from  the  Bucks  County  Gazette.) 

The  Providence  Knitting  Mill. — The  Providence  Knit- 
ting Mill,  erected  in  1879,  and  owned  and  operated  by 
Mrs.  Clara  Appleton,  adjoined  the  property  of  the  Bris- 
tol Woolen  Mill  Company,  on  Buckley  Street,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  same  branch  of  industry.     On  the  night 


274 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


of  March  4,  1895,  it  was  burned  to  the  ground,  being  one 
of  the  most  disastrous  fires  Bristol  has  ever  witnessed. 
The  weather  was  bitter  cold  and  the  wind  blowing  a  gale. 
Pieces  of  the  burning  hosiery  were  carried  by  the  wind 
over  to  the  eastern  section  of  the  town,  and  at  one  time 
five  or  six  houses  were  on  fire.  The  carpet  mill,  however, 
acted  as  a  bulwark  of  protection  for  the  threatened  sec- 
tion, and  saved  it  from  destruction. 

Bath  Street  Public  School. — During  the  month  of  June, 
1880,  the  public  school  board  purchased  from  Howell  & 


BATH    STREET  PUBUC   SCHOOL. 


Harris,  a  lot  with  a  frontage  of  200  feet,  on  Bath  Street, 
above  Buckley,  for  the  sum  of  $1,500.00.  It  was  decided 
that  the  building  to  be  erected  thereon  should  be  of 
stone,  hammer-dressed  broken  range,  similar  to  the  front" 
of  the  Washington  Street  building,  and  should  have  a 
frontage  of  86  feet  and  a  depth  of  56  feet.  It  was  to  be 
two  stories  in  height  and  divided  into  eight  class  rooms. 


A    HISTORY   OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH,  275 

The  building  committee  consisted  of  Edward  C. 
Brudon,  William  Randall,  Chas.  S.  Wollard  and  W.  H.  P. 
Hall.  Instead  of  employing  an  architect,  the  board  de- 
cided to  employ  Chas.  S.  Wollard  as  superintendent,  he 
to  have  general  supervision  over  the  building  and  to 
receive  a  salary  of  $3.00  per  day.  The  plans  for  the 
building  w^ere  drav^^n  by  Mr.  Wollard.  Permission  from 
the  court  was  obtained  by  the  board  to  borrow  $10,000, 
and  bonds  to  that  amount  were  sold. 

The  work  on  the  new  building  began  in  August,  1880. 
In  August,  1881,  the  building  committe  reported  the 
building  completed  and  five  rooms  ready  for  occupancy. 
The  school  house  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  exer- 
cises, on  Thursday  afternoon,  September  i,  1881,  at  2 
o'clock.  The  president  of  the  board,  W.  H.  P.  Hall, 
called  the  meeting  to  order  and  William  Kinsey,  Esq., 
who  was  secretary  of  the  first  school  board  elected  in 
Bristol  Borough,  was  called  to  preside  and  Daniel  Mun- 
cey  was  elected  secretary.  Mr.  Kinsey  read  a  portion  of 
Scripture  and  Professor  J.  G.  Krichbaum,  principal  of 
the  high  school,  offered  prayer.  Jacob  S.  Young,  secre- 
tary of  the  board,  read  a  historical  sketch  of  the  local 
public  schools  and  was  followed  by  County  Superintend- 
ent W.  W.  Woodruff,  in  an  address,  during  which  he 
complimented  the  citizens  for  having  the  best  school 
house  in  the  county.  Hugh  B.  Eastburn,  ex-county  super- 
intendent; Professor  J.  G.  Krichbaum,  Charles  S.  Bailey 
and  Wm.  Kinsey,  Esq.,  also  delivered  addresses.  After 
the  exercises  were  over,  the  building  was  thrown  open 
for  inspection. 

The  building  was  opened  for  school  purposes  on  Sep- 
tember 5,  1881,  five  rooms  being  occupied.  The  teachers 
who  first  taught  in  the  Bath  Street  building  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Secondary  Department,  Maggie  Stewart ;  Primary 
A  Department,  Hannah  Yonkers;  Primary  B  Depart- 
ment, Lizzie  G.  Tomlinson ;  Primary  C  Department,  Ella 
M.  Turner;  Ungraded  Department,  Ephraim  Moss.  The 
total  cost  of  the  building  was  $15,444.18. 

A  Republican  Wigwam. — In  the  fall  of  1880,  during 
the  Garfield-Hancock  political  campaign,  the  Republican 


276  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

party  erected  a  large  wigwam  on  the  then  vacant  lot  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  Mill  and  Wood  Streets.  Many 
prominent  men  spoke  in  the  building  and  large  crowds 
were  attracted  to  the  meetings.  Hon.  B.  F.  Gilkeson, 
William  H.  Grundy,  Joshua  Peirce  and  Charles  E. 
Scheide,  were  the  recognized  leaders  of  the  Republican 
party  at  that  period  of  the  town's  history. 

Memorable  Freshet  and  Ice  Gorge. — On  Saturday  eve- 
ning, February  12,  1881,  the  ice  in  the  Delaware  River 
broke  up  about  9  o'clock,  and  for  two  hours  ran  rapidly 
down  the  stream,  filling  the  river  from  shore  to  shore. 
Later,  when  the  ice  above  Trenton  reached  Bristol,  it 
jammed  up  on  the  bar  and  flats  between  Bristol  and 
Burlington,  the  gorge  extending  up  the  river  some  dis- 
tance above  the  Hollow  Creek.  On  Sunday  afternoon  the 
ice  above  the  Hollow  Creek  broke,  and  with  such  force 
that  it  cut  a  gully  through  the  orchard  of  Hancock's 
farm  on  Burlington  Island,  and  the  imprisoned  water, 
which  had  been  backed  up  by  the  ice  gorge,  on  the  low 
lands  of  the  Manor  and  into  the  roadway  near  Landreth's 
seed  farm,  found  vent  and  rushed  across  Hancock's  farm 
into  the  channel  back  of  the  island.  The  freshet  which 
caused  the  ice  to  break  up  was  the  greatest  since  1857. 
The  water  covered  all  the  wharves  and  inundated  the 
residences  along  the  river  front  and  canal  basin,  in  many 
cases  flooding  the  kitchens  and  doing  considerable  dam- 
age. The  gorge  held  fast  for  one  whole  week,  and  on  the 
next  Saturday  evening  broke  and  disappeared,  leaving 
the  channel  free  of  everything  except  small  masses  of 
floating  ice. 

The    Pennsylvania    Railroad    Changes    Its    Course. — 

About  the  year  1882,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 
changed  the  course  of  its  roadbed  through  the  town 
south  of  Mill  Street,  moving  it  eastward  about  fifty  yards,, 
and  increasing  the  number  of  tracks  from  two  to  four. 
An  island  which  stood  in  the  marsh,  known  as  Bunker 
Hill,  was  purchased  by  the  company  and  the  earth  from 
the  hill  used  in  the  construction  of  the  embankment 
for  the  course  of  the  new  road.    Subsequently,  the  water 


A    HISTORY   OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  277 

troughs  were  installed  at  South  Bristol,  which  enabled 
the  locomotives  to  take  water  while  running. 

Opening  of  the  Streets. — The  borough  limits  have  been 
extended  from  time  to  time,  as  the  increase  of  population 
required.  Otter  Street  (the  turnpike  road),  was  an 
original  highway,  but  was  not  regarded  as  a  street.  Bath 
Street,  otherwise  known  as  the  terminus  of  the  old  New- 
town road  and  as  part  of  the  turnpike  in  its  intersection 
with  Otter,  was  opened  and  widened  in  1809  by  private 
individuals,  but  without  the  co-operation  of  the  proper 
borough  authorities,  who  finally  accepted  it  in  1821.  The 
Beaver  Dam  Road,  otherwise  known  as  Beaver  Street, 
was  surveyed  in  1821.  The  borough  limits  had  mean- 
while been  extended  eastward  to  Adams  Hollow  and 
westward  to  the  mill  pond  in  1801.  A  further  addition 
was  made  in  1852,  and  the  boundaries  then  established 
are  those  of  the  present,  embracing  an  area  of  about  450 
acres.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  built  up  portion  of 
the  town  was  first  extended  west  of  the  mill  race,  about 
the  years  181 1-25,  as  shown  by  the  improvement  of  Bath 
Street  in  1809,  and  of  Otter  a  few  years  later.  The  con- 
struction of  the  turnpike  probably  influenced  this.  There 
was  considerable  building  activity  from  1833  to  1855,  the 
period  of  prosperity  incident  to  the  canal  trade.  Property 
having  a  river  front  was  in  demand  at  this  time;  and 
hence  the  opening  of  Franklin  and  Penn  Streets  from 
RadclilYe  to  low  water  mark,  in  1836.  Wilson  Street  was 
opened  in  1849.  Pond  Street  was  extended  from  the  Wal- 
nut to  Lafayette  in  1855.  Wood  Street,  which  was  con- 
tinued easterly  from  Walnut  in  1766,  upon  land  vacated 
by  John  Hutchinson,  was  further  opened  to  Washington 
in  185 1.  Cedar  Street  was  extended  from  Walnut  to 
Franklin  in  1849,  ^^d  thence  to  Lafayette  in  185 1.  Wood 
and  Pond  were  further  laid  out  in  1874.  Franklin  and 
Penn  Streets  were  opened  in  1855.  Dorrance  Street  was 
opened  from  low  water  mark  to  Pond  Street  in  1855,  ^^d 
thence  to  Canal  Street  in  1881.  Washington  and  Lafay- 
ette Streets  were  laid  out  from  the  river  to  Pond  Street  in 
1855,  and  continued  in  1874.  Jefferson  Avenue  was 
opened  in   1873.     Buckley  Street  was  laid  out  in   1847, 


278  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Mifflin  in  1853;  Spruce,  Race,  Swain  and  Locust  in  1874; 
Linden,  Maple,  Green  and  Pearl  in  1880,  by  the  borough 
authorities,  although  opened  by  private  individuals  in 
185 1.  The  survey  for  Garden,  Mansion,  Spring,  Summer, 
and  Corson  Streets,  and  the  extension  of  Jefferson  Ave- 
nue, west  of  the  canal,  was  made  in  1884. 

The  Roller  Skating  Craze. — The  roller  skating  craze 
struck  Bristol  during  the  winter  of  1884-5.  A  new  maple 
floor  was  laid  in  the  lower  story  of  Mohican  Hall,  on 
Otter  Street,  and  a  skating  rink  opened  in  charge  of  a 
man  named  Bull.  In  the  spring  of  1885,  James  Wright 
erected  a  large  roller  skating  rink  on  Wood  Street  near 
Penn.  For  a  short  time  it  proved  a  popular  pastime,  but 
the  excitement  soon  subsided  and  the  building  was  re- 
modeled and  opened  as  a  theatre.  Today  the  old  build- 
mg  is  used  as  a  moving  picture  show  house. 

A  Memorable  Blizzard. — In  March,  1888,  occurred  one* 
of  the  worst  blizzards  Bristol  has  ever  known.  Rain  be- 
gan to  fall  on  Sunday  morning  and  continued  throughout 
the  day  and  evening.  Sometime  during  the  night  the 
shifting  of  the  wind  brought  on  a  fierce  snow  storm, 
which  increased  in  severity,  the  wmd  blowing  a  perfect 
gale.  When  our  citizens  awoke  on  Monday  morning, 
they  found  the  town  literally  buried  under  an  avalanche 
of  snow.  In  many  places  the  snow  drifts  reached  a  height 
of  ten  and  fifteen  feet.  Traffic  on  the  railroad  was  blocked ; 
the  telegraph  and  telephone  wires  were  down,  and  for 
two  or  three  days  the  town  was  completely  cut  off  from 
all  outside  communication. 

High  School  Building. — At  a  meeting  of  the  public 
school  board,  held  July  6,  1893,  the  supply  committee 
which  consisted  of  B.  C.  Foster,  E.  H.  Foster,  R.  W.  Holt, 
Neal  J.  Mcllvaine  and  Geo.  W.  Louderbough,  was  ap- 
pointed to  consider  the  expediency  of  increasing  the 
school  accommodations  and  to  take  the  preliminary  steps, 
if  thought  advisable,  to  erect  a  suitable  building  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Wood  and  Mulberry  Streets,  for  high  school  and 
grammar  school  purposes  especially,  and  to  report  at  a 


A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL   BOROUGH. 


279 


subsequent  meeting  the  results  of  their  deliberations  with 
such  recommendations  as  their  judgment  might  approve. 
At  the  meeting  of  December  7,  1893,  ^he  committee  re- 
ported that,  in  their  judgment  the  time  had  come  to  build 
a  new  school  house  for  the  accommodation  of  the  high 
school  and  grammar  grades  especially,  and  that  a  build- 
ing be  erected  and  made  ready  for  occupancy  by  Septem- 
ber I,  1894.  By  action  of  the  board  the  committee  was 
empowered  to  procure  plans  and  estimates  for  the  erec- 


f^^, 

/a^^^Bp 

^HRH^oIe                         'v           '^^j.  ■ ' 

if 

i 

I^JMI 

BRISTOL  HIGH    SCHOOL. 


lion  of  the  new  building  and  report  at  the  next  meeting. 
The  building,  as  originally  decided  upon,  was  to  contain 
not  less  than  eight  class  rooms,  with  a  hall  and  lecture 
room  on  the  third  floor. 

February  i,  1894,  the  committee  reported  that  there 
was  not  sufficient  room  on  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Wood 
and   Mulberry   Streets  to  erect   an   eight-room  building 


28o  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

and  suggested  the  erection  of  a  building  containing  six 
class  rooms,  a  directors'  room,  superintendent's  office  and 
assembly  room  on  the  third  floor,  and  presented  plans  for 
such  a  building  together  with  estimated  cost,  for  the  con- 
sideration of  the  board.  They  also  recommended  that  the 
board  obtain  the  services  of  an  experienced  architect  and 
suggested  the  name  of  S.  A.  Brouse,  of  Trenton. 

The  plans  submitted  by  the  committee  were  approved 
by  the  board  and  the  committee  instructed  to  go  on  with 
the  work  according  to  the  plans.  Mr.  Brouse  was  em- 
ployed as  architect  to  prepare  the  plans  and  specifications 
and  supervise  the  work,  his  remuneration  to  be  3  per 
cent,  of  the  cost  of  the  building.  The  bids  were  opened  on 
Tuesday,  April  10,  1894,  and  were  as  follows : 

Ernest   Lawrence $15,525 

Chas.  S.  Wollard i6,357 

Wright  &  De   Groot 16,764 

Angus    C.    York 17,190 

The  contract  was  awarded  to  the  lowest  bidder. 
Ground  was  broken  on  Wednesday  morning,  April  18, 
1894.  Bonds  to  the  amount  of  $15,000  were  sold  to  cover 
the  cost  of  erecting  the  building.  The  heating  contract 
was  awarded  to  Thomas  Craig,  his  bid  being  $1,690.  The 
building  when  completed  cost  $15,793.50,  without  the 
heating  and  furnishings.  Saturday  afternoon,  November 
10,  1894,  at  2  o'clock,  the  dedicatory  exercises  were  held 
in  the  assembly  room  of  the  new  building.  Dr.  N.  C. 
Schafifer,  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools ;  W.  H. 
Slotter,  County  Superintendent;  W.  W.  Woodruflf,  ex- 
County  Superintendent;  Matilda  S.  Booz,  Borough 
Superintendent;  John  K.  Wildman,  President  of  School 
Board  and  John  C.  Maule,  a  member  of  Borough  Council, 
all  made  appropriate  addresses.  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing the  chairman  of  the  building  committee,  B.  C.  Foster, 
in  a  short  speech,  handed  the  building  over  to  the  school 
board,  and  it  was  accepted  by  the  president  in  behalf  of 
the  board.  The  pupils  of  the  high  school  and  grammar 
grades  were  present  and  took  part  in  the  exercises.  Music 
was  furnished  by  the  Bristol  Orchestra.  Nearly  500  per- 
sons were  in  attendance. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  28I 

Cost  of  the  Building. 

Architect's    Fee $524  50 

E.  Lawrence,  Contractor 15,793  50 

Craig,  Heater.  .  . 1,690  00 

Desks,    Blackboards,    etc 966  34 

Outhouses 619  50 

Gas  Fixtures  and  Extra  Plumbing 219  08 

Iron  Fencing 457  10 

Flag  Pole 124  45 

Grading 103  03 

Pavement    and    Material 309  i^i 

Roofing   Outhouses ii7  94 

Graining  Doors 5  00 

$20,930  20 

On  April  i,  1895,  an  additional  bond  issue  of  $4,000  was 
sold  to  meet  the  deficit  iii  the  total  cost  of  the  new  build- 
ing. The  building  was  occupied  in  November,  1894,  by 
the  removal  of  the  high  school  and  grammar  grades  from 
the  Bath  Street  building.  The  primary  grade  rooms  in 
the  old  building  on  Wood  Street  were  also  moved  into 
the  new  building  and  the  secondary  grade  from  the 
Friends'  school  building  on  Cedar  Street  to  the  old  build- 
ing on  Wood  Street. 

St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. — In  November, 
1885,  a  disagreement  in  the  Sunday  School  of  St.  James' 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  led  to  the  withdrawal  of  the 
superintendent,  fourteen  teachers  and  a  large  number  of 
scholars.  On  Advent  Sunday,  November  29,  a  new  Sun- 
day School  was  organized  in  Washington  Hall,  corner  of 
Radcliffe  and  Walnut  Streets.  Forty  communicants 
joined  in  an  application  to  Bishop  Stevens  for  permission 
to  organize  another  Parish,  but  consent  thereto  was 
refused. 

The  Sunday  School  prospered  from  the  beginning.  On 
January  2,  1886,  St.  Paul's  was  adopted  as  a  name  for 
the  mission,  and  on  St.  Paul's  Day,  January  25,  1886,  the 
school  was  removed  to  Evans'  (now  Bell's)  Hall,  corner 
of  Mill  and  Pond  Streets.  During  the  first  winter  the 
Mission  enjoyed  the  services  of  a  clergyman,  until  pro- 
hibited by  the  Diocesan  authority. 


282  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Owing  to  the  steady  growth  of  the  school,  a  building 
became  a  necessity,  and  in  1891  a  lot  was  purchased  on 
Jefferson  Avenue,  costing  $3,750.  The  financial  depres- 
sion succeeding  that  year  delayed  the  carrying  out  of 
plans  to  build  until  1895,  when  a  contract  was  signed  for 
the  erection  of  a  building  to  cost  $1,648.  This,  with 
extras,  not  including  furniture,  amounted  to  $1,940.50 
upon  the  completion  of  the  building.  The  building  was 
formally  opened  on  October  6,  1895.  The  estimated  value 
of  the  property  was  about  $7,000. 


ST.    PAUI.S  P.   E.    CHURCH   AND   PARISH    HOUSE. 

In  the  winter  of  1899-1900,  another  appeal  for  recogni- 
tion was  made  to  the  Convocation  of  Germantown,  but 
it  was  found  it  was  not  Canonical  to  do  so.  The  Convo- 
cation, however,  favorably  recommended  the  matter  to 
the  standing  committee.  A  hearing  was  given  by  the 
Standing  Committee  and  at  the  request  of  Bishop  Whita- 
ker,  the  committee  appeared  before  him  for  a  conference, 
with  the  result  that  on  May  9,  1900,  official  recognition 
was  granted  and  the  name  of  St.  Paul's  Mission  was 
placed  upon  the  list  of  recognized  missions  of  the  diocese. 

Rev.  Thomas  J.  Garland  was  appointed  by  the  Bishop 
as  Minister-in-charge,  and  the  first  regular  service  and 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  283 

administration  of  the  Holy  Communion  was  on  Sunday, 
May  13.  It  was  a  most  impressive  service,  being  the 
culmination  of  fourteen  years'  hopes  and  prayers.  Regu- 
lar services  were  instituted  from  June  i.  During  the 
summer  the  church  building  was  enlarged  by  the  addition 
of  a  chancel  and  a  room  for  the  infant  class. 

The  committee  in  charge  of  the  mission,  when  the  min- 
ister was  appointed,  was  Wm.  V.  Leach  (who  had  been 
acting  as  lay  reader  during  all  the  previous  years  of  its 
existence),  B.  F.  Gilkeson,  Thomas  B.  Harkins,  Henry 
Lombaert,  Arthur  W.  Doust,  John  Lawrence,  Mrs.  A. 
Weir  Gilkeson.  A  Weir  Gilkeson,  who  had  been  the 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School,  from  the  time  of  its 
beginning  in  1885.  died  in  July,  1899,  just  one  year  before 
the  mission  received  official  recognition. 

In  April,  1903,  Rev.  Garland  resigned,  and  in  June  of 
the  same  year,  Rev.  J.  Kennedy  Moorhouse  was 
appointed  deacon  in  charge  from  July  i.  In  August,  1903, 
a  plan  was  adopted  to  pay  off  a  debt  of  $3,100  resting  on 
the  property.  On  Easter  Day,  1904,  the  amount  of  $1,100 
was  raised  and  before  the  following  Easter  the  whole 
indebtedness  was  paid  off.  The  first  steps  were  taken  in 
February,  1905,  to  organize  the  Mission  into  a  Parish. 
After  several  setbacks  the  charter  was  finally  passed  by 
the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Diocese,  and  at  2.30  P.  M., 
Wednesday,  May  3,  1905,  at  the  One  Hundred  and  Twen- 
ty-first Annual  Convention  of  the  Diocese,  the  charter 
and  proposed  amendments  were  approved  and  the  church 
admitted  into  union  with  the  Convention. 

In  August,  1908,  ground  was  broken  for  a  Parish  House. 
On  Sunday,  February  14,  1909,  the  new  Parish  House 
was  opened  by  a  Missionary  Service  of  the  Sunday 
School,  the  Rev.  Thos.  J.  Garland  making  the  address. 
The  building  cost  $5,000.  In  August,  1910,  the  Rev.  J. 
Kennedy  Moorhouse  resigned,  since  which  time  the 
church  has  been  without  a  stationed  clergyman. 

Causes  Which  Led  to  the  Organization  of  Fire  Com- 
panies Nos.  3,  4  and  5. — In  the  summer  of  1893,  ^  fi^e 
occurred  at  the  residence  of  Thomas  Brooks  on  Garden 
Street,  in  which  four  persons  lost  their  lives.     The  rail- 
19 


284  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

road  crossings  were  blocked  by  a  freight  train  and  the 
fire  companies,  both  of  which  were  located  in  the  First 
Ward,  were  greatly  delayed  in  reaching  the  conflagration. 
The  possibility  of  what  might  happen  to  that  section  of 
the  town,  on  the  west  side  of  the  railroad,  should  a  serious 
fire  occur,  and  the  fire  companies  be  prevented  from 
responding  promptly,  on  account  of  the  crossings  being 
blockaded,  caused  the  citizens  of  that  section  much  seri- 
ous thought.  It  remained,  however,  for  John  T.  Smith, 
a  citizen  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  to  devolve  a  plan  whereby 
the  unprotected  sections  of  the  town  could  have  adequate 
protection.  His  proposition  was  to  organize  a  company 
in  the  Fourth  Ward  for  local  fire  protection  only.  He 
sought  and  obtained  the  co-operation  of  Messrs.  Wm.  H. 
Grundy,  Geo.  A.  Shoemaker  and  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  and 
upon  the  suggestion  of  these  latter  gentlemen  the  plan 
was  made  to  embrace  the  other  two  unprotected  wards. 
Through  the  combined  efforts  of  these  four  gentlemen 
the  citizens  of  the  three  wards  became  interested  in  the 
project,  which  finally  culminated  in  the  organization  of  a 
fire  company  in  each  of  the  three  wards,  known  respect- 
ively as  Second  Ward  Hose  Company,  Third  Ward  Hose 
Company  and  Fourth  Ward  Hose  Company.  The  Sec- 
ond Ward  Company  erected  its  hose  house  in  the  alley 
back  of  the  south  side  of  Jefferson  Avenue,  between  Pond 
and  Wood  Streets;  the  Third  Ward  Company  built  its 
house  in  the  rear  of  Abraham  Ettenger's  yard,  facing  on 
Pearl  Street;  while  the  home  of  the  Fourth  Ward  Com- 
pany was  located  on  Garden  Street.  Borough  Council 
presented  500  feet  of  hose  to  each  of  the  companies.  Sub- 
scriptions were  taken  in  the  different  wards  and  the 
money  thus  raised  used  to  purchase  hose  crabs,  except  in 
the  Fourth  Ward,  where  the  company  was  presented  with 
a  crab  by  Wm.  H.  Grundy  &  Co. 

For  a  period  of  several  years  the  various  companies  en- 
joyed a  quiet  and  modest  existence.  Then  the  progressive 
spirit  possessed  by  the  young  members  of  the  Third 
Ward  Company,  began  to  assert  itself.  A  charter  was 
obtained  from  the  court  and  the  name  of  the  company 
changed  to  that  which  it  now  bears,  Good  Will  Hose 
Company,  No.  3.     The  property  at  the  corner  of  Swain 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  285 

and  Pearl  Streets  was  purchased  and  converted  into  a 
comfortable  and  commodious  hose  house.  Borough 
Council  presented  the  company  with  a  Combination 
Chemical  and  Hose  Wagon,  and  the  members  raised  suffi- 
cient funds  to  purchase  a  one-horse  hose  wagon.  The 
chemical  wagon  proving  unsatisfactory,  it  was  exchanged 
for  a  chemical  engine.  A  pair  of  horses  was  procured  by 
the  company  but  the  experiment  was  a  costly  one. 
Finally,  with  the  consent  of  Borough  Council,  the  chemi- 
cal engine  and  horses  were  sold  and  the  proceeds  used  to 
purchase  an  up-to-date  Automobile  Combination  Chemi- 
cal and  Hose  Wagon.  The  new  apparatus  was  housed 
with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
October  i,  1910.  Three  years  ago  (1908),  the  old  Second 
W^ard  Hose  Company  was  reorganized  and  its  name 
changed  to  the  Enterprise  Fire  Company,  No.  5.  A  char- 
ter was  obtained  and  during  the  year  1909  the  company 
erected  a  $7,000  hose  house  on  Wood  Street  near  Jeffer- 
son Avenue.  Its  membership  has  steadily  increased  and 
its  efficiency  is  recognized  by  the  whole  community. 

The  Fourth  Ward  Hose  Company,  like  the  other  ward 
companies,  no  longer  bears  its  original  name,  but  is  now 
known  as  the  Beaver  Fire  Company,  No.  4.  Although 
not  a  chartered  company,  its  members  are  enthusiastic 
firemen  and  are  ever  ready  to  respond  to  the  call  of  duty. 

Borough  Fire  Department  Organized. — By  request  of 
the  Fire  Committee  of  Borough  Council,  a  meeting  of 
the  Fire  Committee,  with  a  committee  from  Bristol  Com- 
pany No.  I,  and  America  H.  H.  &  L.  Co.  No.  2,  was  held 
in  July,  1894,  and  a  set  of  rules  and  regulations  providing 
for  the  election  of  a  Chief  Engineer  and  Assistant  Engi- 
neer and  the  organization  of  a  fire  department  for  the 
borough  was  presented  by  the  committee  of  No.  i  com- 
pany and  unanimously  approved.  The  committee  also 
reported  a  uniform  for  the  chief  and  his  assistant,  and  at 
a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  delegates,  Norwood  P. 
Chase,  of  No.  i,  was  elected  Chief  Engineer  and  Thomas 
R.  Vandegrift,  of  No.  2,  Assistant  Engineer  of  the  Fire 
Department  of  Bristol  Borough.  This  was  followed  by 
the  installation  of  the  Gamewell    Fire    Alarm    System, 


286  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

which,  under  the  care  of  Frank  T.  Chambers,  has  proven 
a  valuable  adjunct  in  the  speedy  extinguishment  of  fires, 
supplanting  the  former  method  of  notification  by  mag- 
neto bell  signals  from  the  two  fire  houses  to  the  water 
works.  Since  the  organization  of  the  Borough  Fire  De- 
partment two  other  companies,  namely  Good  Will  Hose 
Company  No.  3  and  Enterprise  Fire  Company  No.  5, 
have  taken  out  charters  and  become  members  of  the 
department.    A  second  assistant  chief  is  now  also  elected. 

Death  of  Matilda  Swift  Booz.— Miss  Matilda  Swift 
Booz,  Superintendent  of  the  Bristol  Public  Schools,  was 
stricken  with  apoplexy  at  a  meeting  of  the  school  board, 
held  in  the  directors'  room  in  the  high  school  building,  on 
April  2,  1897,  and  died  the  next  morning.  Miss  Booz 
was  a  self-made  woman.  She  received  her  education  in 
the  Bristol  schools  and  owed  her  advancement  to  the  posi- 
tion she  occupied  at  the  time  of  her  death  to  her  own 
indefatigable  labor  and  patient  study.  Ex-County  Super-- 
intendent  Hugh  B.  Eastburn,  Esq.,  of  Doylestown,  writ- 
ing of  her  subsequent  to  her  death,  said :  "The  success- 
ive steps  which  she  took  and  the  promotions  which  she 
steadily  earned  were  the  logical  results  of  her  industry,  of 
her  perseverance,  of  the  exercise  of  tact  and  discrimina- 
tion in  the  work  given  her  to  do,  of  a  rare  devotion  to 
duty  and  of  a  constant  endeavor  to  fulfill  a  high  ideal." 
She  was  elected  an  assistant  teacher  in  the  Secondary 
school  in  the  old  school  building  on  Wood  Street,  Aug- 
ust 9,  1865.  In  July,  1872,  she  was  promoted  to  the  prin- 
cipalship  of  the  Girls'  Grammar  school,  and  on.  August 
14,  1873,  became  the  assistant  principal  of  the  High 
School  under  Professor  J.  G.  Krichbaum.  In  1884  she  was 
elected  superintendent  of  the  Bristol  Schools,  which  posi- 
tion she  held  up  to  the  time  of  her  death.  Miss  Louise  D. 
Baggs,  the  then  principal  of  the  High  School,  but  since 
the  death  of  Miss  Booz,  her  successor  as  superintendent, 
paid  the  following  beautiful  tribute  to  her  memory,  in 
behalf  of  herself  and  teachers : 

"We  bear  testimony  to  her  efficiency  and  faithfulness, 
ever  giving  of  herself  and  her  time  most  willingly;  by  her 
advice,  helping;  by  her  example,  stimulating;  by  her  kind 


MISS    MATILDA    SWIFT    BOOZ. 
First   Superintendent   Bristol   Public   Schools. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  287 

words,  encouraging.  Her  own  love  of  study  and  breadth 
of  culture  were  quiet  but  potent  factors  in  enthusing  the 
oft-time  weary  brains  of  others  to  more  activity.  Her 
strict  integrity  held  up  constantly  such  a  high  standard  of 
living  that  intercourse  with  her  inspired  a  striving  after 
noble  things.  Her  keen  sense  of  justice  often  made  the 
more  hasty  to  halt,  and  taught  them  to  hold  judgment  in 
abeyance  until  reason  could  look  fairly  on  the  subject 
from  all  sides.  In  her  the  children  ever  found  an  inter- 
ested friend,  one  who  fully  appreciated  honest  effort  but 
never  exacted  the  impossible.  As  a  woman  and  as  super- 
intendent we  loved,  admired  and  respected  her,  and  we 
feel  that  while  today  the  world  is  poorer  for  her  absence, 
yet  it  is  much  the  richer  for  the  time  she  tarried  here." 

Memorial  services  were  held  in  the  assembly  room  of 
the  High  School  building,  on  Monday  evening,  April  12, 
1897,  at  which  were  present  directors,  teachers,  members 
of  the  Alumni  Association  and  a  few  others  connected 
with  the  schools.  President  of  the  School  Board  John  K. 
Wildman  was  elected  chairman  and  Miss  Louise  D. 
Baggs,  secretary.  Several  addresses  were  made  and  a 
number  of  letters  from  prominent  educators  read,  all  of 
which  bore  testimony  to  her  fidelity.  Suitable  and  appro- 
priate resolutions  were  also  adopted.  Ex-County  Super- 
intendent W.  W.  Woodruff,  of  West  Chester,  Pa.,  in 
closing  his  letter  of  eulogy,  said  : 

"Somewhere,  I  cannot  tell  you  where,  you  will  find 
these  lines,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recall  them : 

Were  a  star  quenched  on  high, 

For  ages  would  its  light,  , 

Still  streaming  downward  from  the  sky, 

Fall  on  our  mortal  sight. 

So  when  a  good  man  dies, 

For  years  beyond  our  ken. 
The  light   he  leaves  behind  him  lies 

Upon  the  paths  of  men. 

"This  applies  to  our  dear  friend  who  has  left  us,  and 
for  a  generation  to  come,  Bristol  will  feel  the  influence 
of  her  life." 


288  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Miss    Louise    D.    Baggs    Elected    Superintendent. — A 

meeting  of  the  Bristol  School  Board  was  held  on  April 
26,  1897,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  Borough  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  Miss  Matilda  S.  Booz.  All  the  directors  were 
in  attendance,  twelve  in  number.  On  the  first  ballot  Miss 
Louise  D.  Baggs  was  elected,  receiving  the  unanimous 
vote  of  the  board.  It  was  a  marked  indication  of  the 
recognition  of  her  merits  by  those  who  are  qualified  to 
judge.  Miss  Baggs  is  a  graduate  of  the  Philadelphia 
Normal  School  of  the  class  of  1880.  She  taught  seven 
years  before  she  was  chosen,  in  1892,  as  Principal  of  the 
Bristol  High  School,  and  during  her  five  years  of  active 
service  in  that  position,  she  gave  entire  satisfaction  as  an 
earnest  and  competent  instructor.  She  is  well  fitted  for 
the  ofiice  of  superintendent,  having  fine  intellectual 
ability,  a  high  grade  of  scholarship,  and  admirable  per- 
sonal qualities.  She  is  still  occupying  the  position  (1911), 
and  the  progress  which  the  schools  have  made  during  her 
incumbency,  is  a  splendid  testimony  to  her  qualification 
and  competency. 


Revolutionary  Skeletons  Unearthed — 1903. — While  the 
sexton  of  St.  James'  Protestant  Episcopal  Burying 
Ground,  at  Bristol,  was  digging  a  grave,  he  unearthed 
portions  of  several  skeletons.  Lying  among  the  bones 
were  a  number  of  brass  buttons  of  different  varieties, 
such  as  were  worn  by  British  and  American  soldiers  dur- 
ing the  Revolution.  One  of  the  buttons  bore  a  representa- 
tion of  a  crowned  head,  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  laurel. 
Above  this  was  the  inscription,  "Georgius  III,  Rex,  Dei 
Gratia,"  and  underneath  the  date,  1774.  The  present  site 
of  St.  James'  burying  ground  was  used  in  the  past  cen- 
tury as  a  temporary  resting  place  for  the  victims  of  the 
Revolutionary  battles.  Several  years  ago  a  number  of 
other  momentoes  of  these  long  forgotten  heroes  were  dug 
up  in  the  same  place.  Charles  Foster,  of  Bristol,  at  that 
time  secured  a  piece  of  red  cloth  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  which  was  part  of  the  coat  of  a  British 
soldier. 


MISS  LOUISE  D.   BAGGS, 
Superintendent  Bristol  Public  Schools. 


A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  289 

B.  Franklin  Gilkeson. — The  late  Benjamin  Franklin 
Gilkeson,  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading  attorneys 
of  the  Bucks  County  bar,  and  prominently  identified  with 
the  political  affairs  of  his  native  county,  was  born  in 
Bristol,  Bucks  County,  August  23,  1842,  and  spent  his 
whole  life  here. 

His  grandfather,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  Esq.,  was  born 
in  Montgomery  County,  but  was  of  Bucks  County  ances- 
tors, and  spent  most  of  his  life  in  this  county.  His 
father,  also  named  Andrew,  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  in 
the  War  of  1812,  and  prominently  identified  with  the 
volunteer  militia  in  the  years  immediately  following  the 
second  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  the  family  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Pennsylvania.  Andrew  W. 
Gilkeson  was  a  prominent  attorney,  being  admitted  to  the 
Bucks  County  Bar  April  29,  1840,  and  practicing  for  many 
years  at  Bristol,  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  county,  and  filled  the  office  of  prothonotary  of  the 
county  for  the  term  of  1854-7.  He  married  Margaret  M. 
Kinsey,  of  that  borough,  whose  ancestors  were  among 
the  early  English  settlers  in  Bucks  County,  her  great- 
great-grandfather,  Samuel  Kinsey,  having  settled  in 
Bristol  Township  in  1728.  Andrew  and  Margaret  M. 
(Kinsey)  Gilkeson  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  of 
whom  Benjamin  Franklin  was  the  eldest  and  the  late  A. 
Weir  Gilkeson,  also  a  prominent  attorney  of  Bristol,  was 
the  youngest. 

Benjamin  F.  Gilkeson  was  educated  in  the  graded 
schools  of  Bristol  and  at  the  Academy  of  Hartsville.  He 
studied  law  with  the  late  Anthony  Swain,  of  Bristol,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  February  2,  1864,  and  at  once 
engaged  in  practice  at  Bristol.  Possessed  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability  in  the  line  of  his  profession,  an  earnest 
and  careful  student,  his  unflagging  and  indomitable  will 
soon  brought  him  to  the  front,  and  for  twenty-five  years 
prior  to  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1903,  he  was  the 
leader  of  the  Bucks  County  Bar,  and  represented  vast 
corporate  interests  both  in  the  county  and  elsewhere. 
Soon  after  his  admission  to  the  bar,  he  launched  into  the 
political  arena,  and  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  political 
councils  of  the  county  and  state  for  many  years.   Reared 


290  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

in  the  Democratic  faith,  he  was  an  early  convert  to  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party,  and  was  for  several 
years  a  colleague  of  Hon.  Caleb  N.  Taylor,  at  that  period 
a  potent  political  factor  in  Bucks  County  and  twice  her 
Representative  in  Congress. 

Taylor  and  Gilkeson  later  became  estranged,  and  the 
rising  young  attorney  became  the  recognized  leader  of 
his  party  in  the  county,  and  held  that  position  in  local  and 
State  politics  for  many  years.  He  served  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  his  county  in  many  State,  National  and  Con- 
gressional conventions  and  also  in  the  State  Committee, 
of  which  he  was  for  some  years  chairman. 

He  was  intimately  associated  with  the  leading  states- 
men and  politicians  of  his  day,  serving  in  the  cabinet  of 
Governor  Daniel  H.  Hastings  as  commissioner  of  bank- 
ing, and  taking  an  active  part  in  State  afifairs  for  many 
years. 

He  was  second  controller  of  the  United  States  Trea- 
sury during  the  administration  of  President  Harrison, 
and  made  an  excellent  record.  He  was  prominent  in  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  served  as  district  deputy  grand 
master  for  Bucks  and  Montgomery  Counties.  He  was 
one  of  the  trustees  of  the  State  Lunatic  Asylum  at  Nor- 
ristown,  and  held  many  other  positions  of  trust  and 
honor. 

Mr.  Gilkeson  was  twice  married;  first  in  1870,  to  Char- 
lotte B.  Jones,  daughter  of  George  B.  Jones,  of  Pittsburg. 
She  died  in  1872,  and  he  married  (second),  in  1874,  Helen 
E.  Pike,  daughter  of  Samuel  Pike,  of  Bristol,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  three  children :  Franklin,  a  member 
of  the  Bucks  County  Bar,  and  of  the  firm  of  Gilkeson  & 
James,  and  two  daughters,  Helen  and  Ethel.  (Davis' 
History  of  Bucks  County.) 

Death  of  John  K.  Wildman. — On  Monday  morning, 
March  21,  1905,  the  community  was  startled  by  the  report 
of  the  death  of  John  K.  Wildman.  The  deceased  was  a 
highly  respected  citizen  and  for  eighteen  years  had  held 
the  position  of  president  of  the  local  school  board.  He 
was  afifable  in  his  manner,  devoted  to  his  work  in  con- 
nection   with    the    schools,    and    many    a   boy   and    girl 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  29I 

received  from  him  inspiration  and  encouragement,  which 
proved  of  inestimable  value  to  them  in  after  life.  As  an 
illustration  of  his  kindly  qualities,  on  one  occasion,  after 
a  young  lady  had  graduated  from  the  schools,  he  taught 
her  stenography,  giving  his  services  gratuituously,  and 
when  his  pupil  became  proficient,  secured  for  her  a  posi- 
tion and  later  obtained  an  advance  in  her  wages.  Under 
his  careful  attention  the  schools  advanced  to  a  lofty  state 
of  efficiency  and  usefulness.  It  was  under  his  administra- 
tion that  the  present  high  school  was  established.  It  was 
his  great  ambition  to  build  up  a  strong  public  school 
library.  He  loved  good  books  and  his  intense  desire  to 
cultivate  a  similar  taste  among  the  boys  and  girls  of  our 
town,  guided  him  always  in  the  selection  of  books  for  the 
school  library,  which  he  started,  and  which  at  the  time  of 
his  death  numbered  over  600  volumes.  He  was  known 
by  all  the  pupils  for  he  frequently  visited  the  schools,  and 
always  had  a  few  words  for  the  children,  praising  what  he 
knew  to  be  good  and  encouraging  honest  effort,  so  that 
even  the  little  ones  felt  free  to  speak  to  him  by  name 
when  they  met  him  on  the  street.  He  also  took  an  active 
interest  in  town  affairs  and  for  several  years  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Bristol  Public  Library.  He  was  a  Republican 
in  politics  and  was  generally  called  upon  to  preside  over 
public  meetings  held  under  the  auspices  of  his  party.  The 
funeral  services  were  held  on  the  Thursday  afternoon  fol- 
lowing his  death,  when  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the 
deceased  were  present  in  large  numbers.  The  school  board 
delegated  Director  Doron  Green  to  deliver  an  eulogy  at 
the  funeral,  which  duty  was  performed.  On  the  following 
morning,  in  the  presence  of  the  immediate  family  and 
members  of  the  school  board,  who  acted  as  pall  bearers, 
the  body  was  interred  in  the  Bristol  Cemetery.  William 
C.  Peirce,  a  close  friend  of  the  deceased,  read  a  chapter 
from  the  Bible  and  with  sorrowing  hearts,  the  directors 
lowered  the  body  of  their  friend  and  companion  down 
into  his  last  resting  place. 

On  Friday  evening,  a  public  memorial  service  was  held 
in  the  assembly  room  of  the  high  school  building,  at 
which  time  a  large  number  of  men,  women  and  school 
children  gathered  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  memory  of 


292  A   HISTORY  OlP  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

one  whom  they  all  loved,  and  one  who  had  unselfishly 
given  his  time  and  talents  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  public 
school  system  of  the  borough.  Director  Green  was  called 
upon  to  preside,  after  which  eulogistic  addresses  were 
made  by  Miss  Louise  D.  Baggs,  Superintendent ;  John  C. 
Maule,  Charles  E.  Scott,  W.  F.  Leedom,  Howard  I. 
James,  Esq.,  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  John  C.  Sl;uckert,  John 
Angus.  Resolutions  of  sympathy  were  adopted  and  sub- 
sequently the  school  board  placed  a  memorial  tablet, 
dedicated  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased,  on  the  wall  in 
the  front  vestibule  of  the  high  school  building. 

Bristol  Lodge,  No.  970  B.  P.  O.  Elks. — Bristol  Lodge, 
No.  970,  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  was 
instituted  May  25,  1905.  Its  first  officers  were  as  fol- 
lows: Exalted  Ruler,  John  J.  Kilcoyne;  Esteemed  Lead- 
ing Knight,  Lewis  T.  Rodan;  Esteemed  Loyal  Knight, 
Frank  T.  Chambers;  Esteemed  Lecturing  Knight,  Wm. 
V.  Leech;  Secretary,  Doron  Green;  Treasurer,  Wm.  K. 
Highland;  Tyler,  E.  W.  Minster;  Trustees,  Howard  I. 
James,  Esq.,  Wm.  B.  Rogers,  Jr.,  and  John  J.  Tyrol. 
Three  years  after  the  organization  of  the  lodge,  the  build- 
ing at  the  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Walnut  Streets,  known 
as  the  Beaver  Meadow  House,  was  purchased  for  $6,500, 
and  opened  as  an  Elks'  Home. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  home  was  laid  with  appro- 
priate ceremonies  on  Saturday  afternoon,  June  25,  1910, 
at  2  o'clock.  The  exercises  were  in  charge  of  Past  Ex- 
alted Ruler  Howard  L  James,  Esq.  The  members  met 
in  their  lodge  room  in  the  post  office  building  and 
marched  in  a  body  to  the  site  where  the  building  was  in 
the  course  of  construction.  Prayer  was  oflfered  by  the 
chaplain,  after  which  the  Secretary  read  the  list  of  articles 
which  had  been  placed  in  the  corner  stone.  They  con- 
sisted of  the  following:  Copy  of  Grand  Lodge  Laws; 
copy  of  By-Laws  of  the  Bristol  Lodge ;  a  list  of  the  grand 
officers  and  local  officers;  copies  of  the  local  papers;  a 
description  of  the  old  home  and  of  the  new  home ;  a  small 
silk  American  flag;  several  old  coins  and  a  poem  dedi- 
cated to  the  Elks.  Mr.  James  then  received  a  silver  vessel 
filled  with  water  and  sprinkled  the  stone,  repeating  at  the 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


293 


same  time  the  words  of  the  ritual.  The  chairman  of  the 
building  committee,  James  Mooney,  handed  the  trowel 
and  mortar  to  Mr.  James,  who  set  the  stone  in  position 
and  then  declared  it  to  have  been  laid  according  to  the 
rules  and  ceremonies  of  the  order.  The  chaplain  led  in 
prayer  and  after  a  short  address  by  Mr.  James,  the  exer- 
cises closed  by  the  members  singing  the  lodge  ode. 


home;  of  BRISTOL  LODGE,  NO.  97O,  B.  P.  0.  E. 


The  dedication  of  the  home  took  place  on  Saturday 
afternoon,  March  4,  191 1,  at  4  o'clock.  The  exercises, 
which  were  private,  were  held  in  the  lodge  room,  in  the 
presence  of  a  large  number  of  members.  Eloquent  ad- 
dresses were  delivered  by  Past  Exalted  Ruler  Howard  I. 


294  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

James,  Captain  John  Jack,  of  Oregon  Lodge  and  others. 

The  new  building  is  three  stories  high  at  the  front  and 
four  stories  at  the  rear.  Up  to  the  second  story  the 
material  used  in  construction  is  gray  stone  and  the  bal- 
ance of  brick.  The  style  of  architecture  is  modified 
colonial,  with  a  ''hip"  roof.  The  building  has  a  frontage 
of  forty-four  feet  and  extends  to  the  rear  seventy  feet.  At 
the  rear  of  the  building  is  a  double-decked  porch  twelve 
feet  wide,  of  pretty  design.  Under  the  basement  is  a 
cellar  for  the  boiler  and  storage  of  coal.  The  basement 
is  fitted  up  as  a  rathskeller.  The  first  floor  contains  a 
large  lobby,  from  which  stairways  lead  to  the  upper  floors 
and  to  the  rathskeller.  Next  to  the  lobby,  opening  into 
the  main  corridor,  are  two  rooms,  the  one  on  the  left 
being  used  as  a  parlor  and  the  other  as  a  card  room.  The 
corridor  connects  in  the  rear  with  a  large  pool  room.  The 
second  floor  contains  an  auditorium  with  stage,  and  will 
be  used  for  social  sessions  and  other  functions.  Com- 
modious cloak  rooms  have  been  placed  on  this  floor.  The 
third  story  is  used  exclusively  for  lodge  purposes.  The 
hip  roof  aflfords  a  high  ceiling,  which  is  dome  shaped. 
There  is  also  two  ante  rooms  on  this  floor.  Three  of  the 
floors  are  supplied  with  lavatories  and  on  the  second 
floor  is  a  bathroom  fitted  with  tub,  shower  bath  and 
stationary  washstand.  The  building  is  lighted  with  gas 
and  electricity,  heated  with  steam  and  elaborately  fur- 
nished from  top  to  bottom.  It  is  a  handsome  structure, 
and  one  that  not  only  adds  to  the  beauty  of  the  locality 
in  which  it  is  erected,  but  is  one  of  the  attractive  struc- 
tures of  the  town. 

The  building  was  designed  by  Architect  C.  J.  Brooke, 
of  Philadelphia.  The  contractor  was  C.  F.  Bachman,  of 
Camden.  Peirce  &  Williams  furnished  the  woodwork,  L,. 
T.  Rodman  did  the  plumbing,  and  the  heating  plant  was 
installed  by  S.  B.  Ardrey  &  Sons.  The  Building  Com- 
mittee of  Bristol  Lodge  of  Elks  consisted  of  James  L. 
Mooney,  C.  L.  Anderson  and  Doron  Green.  The  cost  of 
the  building  independent  of  the  lighting  and  heating,  was 
$12,800.  The  total  cost,  including  furniture,  was  about 
$24,000. 


A   HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  295 

The   Italian   Presbyterian   Evangelical   Mission. — The 

Italian  Evangelical  Mission  was  organized  in  June,  1905, 
in  the  audience  room  of  the  old  Presbyterian  Church, 
with  Rev.  Francis  J.  Panelta,  missionary  in  charge.  Dur- 
ing its  first  year,  twelve  men  professed  their  faith  in 
Christ,  according  to  the  Evangelical  doctrines.  After 
two  years.  Rev.  Panelta  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
Henry  C.  Sartorio.  During  the  summer  of  1907,  street 
services  were  held  on  Sunday  afternoons  in  the  Italian 
district  and  in  the  summers  of  1908  and  1909,  a  tent  was 
secured  and  very  successful  Evangelistic  services  were 
held.  The  Sunday  School  was  organized  in  June,  1909. 
On  December  18,  1910,  the  new  church  building  at  the 
corner  of  Wood  Street  and  Lincoln  Avenue  was  dedi- 
cated. Rev.  Sartorio,  whose  ordination  to  the  ministry 
occurred  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  1909,  resigned  in 
the  fall  of  1910.  His  successor  was  Rev.  Nicola  Mucci, 
the  present  pastor.  At  present  the  church  roll  contains 
the  names  of  fifty  communicants,  although  a  few  have 
recently  removed  from  town. 

Death  of  Hon.  William  Kinsey. — August  9,  1895,  after 
a  long  and  active  career,  the  Hon.  William  Kinsey  de- 
parted from  this  life,  in  the  92d  year  of  his  age.  Mr. 
Kinsey  was  prominent  in  Methodist  circles  and  one  of  the 
best  known  laymen  in  the  Philadelphia  Conference.  His 
grandparents  were  among  the  early  members,  awakened 
by  the  preaching  of  Captain  Webb,  in  1771  and  1777.  In 
1828,  Mr.  Kinsey  was  converted  and  joined  the  Bristol 
Church.  He  was  made  an  exhorter  in  1828.  For  over 
fifty  years  he  was  a  trustee,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
he  had  been  president  of  the  board  many  years.  He  was 
a  great  promoter  of  the  new  church  enterprise,  but  died 
just  ten  days  before  the  ground  was  broken  for  the  new 
edifice.  At  his  death  he  bequeathed  his  fortune  to  his 
two  surviving  daughters,  Lizzie  and  Caroline.  Upon  the 
death  of  Miss  Caroline,  the  last  member  of  the  Kinsey 
family,  the  bulk  of  the  fortune,  amounting  to  about 
$35,000,  was  bequeathed  to  the  Bristol  Methodist  Church. 
It  was  this  legacy  which  enabled  the  Methodist  Congre- 
gation   to    cancel    the    mortgage    indebtedness    on    their 


296  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI,  BOROUGH, 

church  property  and  set  aside  $10,000,  which  is  now  in- 
vested in  good  securities. 

Wm.  Kinsey  was  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  this  state.     The  family  was  early  divided  into 
two  branches ;  one  engaged  in  iron-working  and  the  other 
as  workers  in  leather.     Of  the  former  branch  were  the 
ancestors  of  our  subject,  and  several  of  them  were  in  the 
Revolutionary  War.     The  first  to  settle  in  Bristol  was 
Samuel,  the  son  of  a  cotton  manufacturer  of  Birmingham, 
England,  who  came  here  in  1728.    He  was  a  farmer.    His 
son  was  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject  and  was 
born  in   1755.     All  of  the  family  since  then  have  been 
born  here.     William  was  born  in  November,  1804.     His 
early  education  was  limited,  but  he  had  been  a  constant 
reader.     He  worked  in  a  cotton  mill  for  a  short  time,  but 
early  in  life  learned  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith,  which  he 
followed  until  1850.    Afterward  he  engaged  in  iron  manu- 
facturing for  several  years,  subsequently  dealing  in  real 
estate,  acting  as  auctioneer,  etc.     In  1829  he  was  married 
to  Mary,  daughter  of  Richard  Gosline,  whose  family  have 
been   residents  of  Bucks  County  for  three  generations. 
Their   children   were    Mary   Anna,    Caroline,    Elizabeth, 
Margaret,  Fanny  and  Samuel,  who  was  a  graduate  of 
West  Point.     Mr.   Kinsey  held   many  public  positions. 
In  1829  he  was  elected  high  constable,  serving  six  years; 
in    1836   chief   burgess,   holding   the    position   for   seven 
years;  and  in  1837,  school  director,  serving  twenty-four 
years.    In  1842  he  was  appointed  assignee  in  bankruptcy 
for  the  county,  and  in  March,  1845,  was  appointed  post- 
master, filling  that  office  for  four  years.    In  1850,  he  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace  for  five  years.     As  assignee, 
executor  and  administrator  he  settled  about  fifty  estates. 
In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  for  a  term  of 
three  years,  and  proved  himself  an  able  speaker  on  the 
floor,   besides   serving  on   the   committees   of  education, 
agriculture,  domestic  manufacture,  etc.     On  the  call  for 
troops  to  defend  the  State  invasion,  he  assisted  in  raising 
a  company  and  went  into  the  service,  receiving  an  honor- 
able discharge  at  the  close  of  his  term.     He  was  a  fre- 
quent contributor  to  the  newspapers  and  to  local  history. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  the  oldest  Free  Mason  in  Bristol. 


HON.  WILLIAM  KINSEY. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  297 

St.  Ann's  Italian  Roman  Catholic  Church. — The  Italian 
residents  of  Bristol  for  a  number  of  years  communed  at 
St.  Mark's  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Attracted  by  the 
opportunities  offered  of  finding  employment  in  the  mills, 
their  number  steadily  increased.  During  the  period  fol- 
lowing the  year  1900,  the  number  of  Italian  residents 
reached  such  proportions  that  a  church  of  their  own  be- 
came a  necessity.  The  Bishop  accordingly  sent  Rev. 
Father  Paul  Gentile  to  Bristol  in  December,  1905,  to 
take  up  the  work  of  providing  a  church  home  for  the 
people  of  his  nationality.  Father  Gentile  came  here  from 
Lansford,  Pa.,  having  built  an  Italian  Catholic  Church  at 
Nesquehoning,  Pa.  He  was  admirably  adapted  to  the 
work,  affable  and  with  an  abundance  of  energy,  calculated 
to  push  the  project  through  to  a  successful  completion. 
The  first  services  were  held  in  the  parlor  of  the  present 
rectory  in  April,  1906,  when  the  congregation  consisted  of 
175  families.  The  corner  stone  of  the  church  building  at 
Dorrance  and  Pond  Streets  was  laid  March  17,  1908,  and 
the  building  blessed,  September  29,  1908.  Only  the  base- 
ment was  completed  and  in  this  the  congregation  has 
since  worshipped.  Father  Gentile  had  perfected  his  plans 
for  building  the  upper  story  of  his  church  last  fall  (1910). 
It  was  to  have  been  of  brown  stone  to  match  the  base- 
ment. The  main  entrance  was  to  be  on  Dorrance  Street, 
while  in  the  rear  a  tower  fifty-five  feet  high  was  to  have 
been  built.  The  style  of  architecture  was  Roman  and 
several  friends  of  the  church  had  promised  to  donate 
stained  glass  windows.  A  part  of  Father  Gentile's  plan 
provided  for  the  opening  of  a  Sunday  School  and  a  day 
school  in  the  basement  and  two  sisters  were  to  instruct 
the  children  in  the  Italian  and  English  languages.  But 
just  on  the  eve  of  the  fulfillment  of  his  plans.  Father  Gen- 
tile was  removed  to  another  diocese  and  the  great  work 
which  he  had  projected  is  now  held  in  abeyance.  Father 
Gentile  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Father  Anthony  Or- 
lando, the  present  rector. 

The  Grundy  Medal. — During  the  latter  part  of  the 
school  year  ending  with  June,  1906,  Joseph  R.  Grundy 
presented  to  the  Bristol  Public  School  Board  a  $500  bond, 


298  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

the  interest  from  which  was  to  be  applied  to  the  purchas- 
ing of  a  suitable  medal  to  be  contested  for  by  the  pupils 
in  the  high  school.  The  donor  refusing  to  allow  the 
medal  to  bear  his  name,  it  was  decided  by  the  board  to 
name  it  in  honor  of  his  father,  the  late  Wm.  H.  Grundy. 
The  medal  is  presented  upon  the  basis  of  the  full  four 
years'  course.  The  medal  of  1906  was  won  by  Miss  Sara 
McNally,  for  having  attained  the  highest  average  in" the 
final  examination  of  that  year.  Miss  Esther  L.  Daniels 
was  awarded  the  medal  of  1907,  upon  the  basis  of  effi- 
ciency in  the  last  year's  work  in  the  high  school.  The 
medal  of  1908  was  won  by  Miss  Ethel  M.  Townsend  as 
a  reward  for  efficiency  in  the  last  two  years'  work  of  the 
high  school.  The  medal  of  1909,  which  was  the  first  to  be 
presented  upon  the  basis  of  the  full  three  years'  course, 
was  won  by  Miss  Helen  C.  Randall.  Miss  Marion  Dun- 
gan  won  the  medal  of  1910,  her  average  for  the  three 
years  being  96.02  per  cent.,  which  is  the  highest  on  record 
ever  having  been  attained  by  a  pupil  in  the  Bristol  High 
School. 

Miss  Eunice  Williams  made  an  average  of  97.00  per 
cent,  during  her  last  year  in  the  high  school  (1910),  which 
is  the  highest  record  for  a  single  year's  work.  In  1906, 
Miss  Helma  Stout  was  only  three  one-hundredths  of  one 
per  cent,  below  Miss  McNally,  in  the  contest  for  the 
medal,  and  in  1909,  Louis  S.  Weik  finished  a  close  second, 
being  but  1.14  per  cent,  below  the  average  attained  by 
Miss  Randall.  In  each  of  the  three  instances,  the  con- 
testants were  rewarded  for  their  efficiency  by  receiving 
special  prizes  awarded  by  the  president  of  the  board,  Wil- 
liam V.  Leech.  Beginning  with  this  year  (1910),  a  four 
years'  course  has  been  introduced  into  the  high  school, 
and  in  consequence  the  medals  of  the  future  will  be 
awarded  upon  the  basis  of  four  years'  work. 

Jefferson  Avenue  School  House. — With  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1908,  the  proposition  of  providing  accom- 
modations for  the  large  influx  of  children,  confronted  the 
town.  For  five  years  the  board  had  held  back  the  question 
of  building,  hoping  that  the  issue  of  bonds  covering  the 


A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH. 


299 


cost  of  the  high  school  building  might  be  very  largely  paid 
off,  before  entering  into  a  new  indebtedness.  But  with  the 
opening  of  the  year  the  board  realized  that  the  question 
must  be  met.  Most  careful  consideration  of  the  propo- 
sition was  given.  If  a  new  building  was  to  be  erected, 
accommodations  must  be  provided  for  the  children  who 
occupied  the  rented  building  on  Cedar  Street,  as  well  as 
for  the  extra  children  at  the  Bath  and  Washington  Street 
buildings.  This  meant  that  the  exigencies  of  the  present 
demanded  the  immediate  occupancy  of  four  rooms.  The 
question  of  remodeling  the  Washington  Street  school 
house  and  erecting  an  addition,  containing  two  extra 
rooms  was  first  considered.    It  meant  the  purchasing  of 


JEJFFERSON   AVENUE   PUBUC    SCHOOL 

several  properties  on  Washington  Street,  adjoining  the 
school  grounds,  and  when  the  cost  was  considered  as 
well  as  the  proposition  being  only  a  partial  solution  of  the 
problem,  the  proposition  was  rejected  by  the  board  as 
unfeasible.  An  addition  to  the  high  school  would  also 
have  only  have  afforded  temporary  relief  and  left  the 
future  with  no  opportunity  for  development.  To  add  to 
the  discomfiture  of  the  board,  the  attendance  in  the  high 
20 


3CX>  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

school  increased  from  thirty-five  to  fifty  pupils  and  the 
need  of  less  circumscribed  environments  became  appar- 
ent. Thus,  the  proposition  of  building  a  new  school 
house  forced  itself  upon  the  board  as  the  only  proper 
method  of  disposing  of  the  question.  Eighteen  archi- 
tects entered  competitive  drawings  for  the  new  school 
house.  Two  or  three  evenings  were  taken  up  with  the 
consideration  of  the  plans,  and  finally  those  of  Heacock  & 
Hokanson,  of  Philadelphia,  were  accepted.  The  plans 
provided  for  an  eight-room  building  with  basement 
auditorium.  The  lot  at  the  corner  of  Jefferson  Avenue 
and  Pond  Street  had  previously  been  purchased  of  John 
Praull,  of  Philadelphia,  for  $4,200.  The  contract  for 
building  the  school  house  -was  awarded  to  John  N.  De- 
Groot,  his  bid  being  $22,000,  and  work  was  begun 
immediately. 

The  comer  stone  was  laid  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1908,  at  2.30  o'clock,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
crowd  of  people.  The  pupils  of  the  high  school,  grammar 
and  secondary  grades,  numbering  about  500  in  all,  met  at 
the  high  school  building  and  paraded  from  there  to  the 
site  upon  which  the  new  school  building  was  to  be 
erected.  The  line  was  formed  as  follows :  Chief  of  police 
and  four  officers ;  Metropolitan  Band,  of  Burlington ; 
members  of  school  board  and  town  council ;  members  of 
Alumni  Association.  Then  followed  the  scholars  and 
teachers  of  the  various  grades.  All  the  scholars  carried 
small  American  flags.  The  line  moved  out  Mulberry 
Street  to  Radcliffe  Street,  to  Jefferson  Avenue,  and 
thence  along  the  latter  avenue  to  the  new  building.  Seats 
had  been  provided  for  the  teachers  and  scholars  and  a 
platform  erected  for  the  speakers.  President  W.  V. 
Leech  acted  as  chairman  and  announced  the  numbers  on 
the  program.  Several  patriotic  selections  were  sung  by 
the  pupils  and  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  J.  Kennedy 
Moorhouse,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Church.  Burgess 
W.  K.  Highland,  a  graduate  of  the  Bristol  High  School, 
delivered  an  address.  James  H.  Brooks,  class  of  1889, 
represented  the  High  School  Alumni  Association  and 
made  a  speech.  Two  essays  were  read,  one  entitled,  "Old 
Time  Schools,"  by  Miss  \^era  Vansant,  and  the  other. 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  3OI 

"Past  and  Present,"  by  Miss  Helen  Randall,  both  young 
ladies  being  members  of  the  class  of  1909.  The  last  ad- 
dress was  made  by  Director  Doron  Green,  chairman  of 
the  building  committee.  The  copper  box  in  the  corner 
stone  contained  the  following  articles :  Holy  Bible ;  names 
of  Burgess  and  Town  Council;  names  of  School  Board 
and  various  committees  for  school  year  1908-1909;  list  of 
superintendent  and  teachers;  complete  list  of  all  the 
scholars  enrolled  in  the  public  schools  of  Bristol;  list  of 
the  officers  and  members  of  the  High  School  Alumni 
Association;  postal  card  views  of  High  School  building, 
old  building  Wood  Street,  Bath  Street  building,  Wash- 
ington Street  building,  old  school  building  on  Otter 
Street,  now  Mohican  Hall;  Radcliffe  Street,  Mill  Street, 
Ferry  Boat  Wm.  E.  Doron;  Alumni  badge;  Swastika 
emblem;  Pennsylvania  School  Journal,  August,  1908; 
brief  description  of  Bristol  as  it  is  today;  copy  of  Bucks 
County  Gazette,  September  11,  1908;  copy  of  Weekly 
Courier,  September  10,  1908;  copy  of  Weekly  Courier 
containing  account  of  commencement  exercises,  June, 
1908;  copy  of  Daily  Republican,  September  15,  1908; 
coins  presented  by  Farmers'  National  Bank,  to  wit:  half 
dollar,  1908  issue;  quarter  dollar,  1908  issue;  dime,  1909 
issue ;  nickel,  1908  issue ;  penny,  1908  issue ;  brief  descrip- 
tion of  architectural  firm  of  Heacock  &  Hokanson ;  brief 
description  of  the  builder,  John  N.  DeGroot ;  program  of 
ceremonies.  After  the  articles  had  all  been  deposited  in 
the  box  the  superintendent  of  the  schools.  Miss  Louise 
D.  Baggs,  stepped  forward  and  covered  all  with  a  small 
silk  American  flag.  The  band  played  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner,  and  the  children  rose  to  their  feet,  cheering  loudly 
and  waving  their  flags.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  W. 
V.  Leech,  the  president  of  the  board,  who  spoke  briefly 
The  exercises  closed  with  the  benediction  by  Rev.  C.  E. 
Burns,  D.  D.,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  building  was  dedicated  on  Monday  evening.  May 
24,  1909,  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The  exercises 
were  held  in  the  auditorium.  Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev. 
S.  W.  Gehrett,  D.  D.,  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  An  address 
was  delivered  by  Charles  Heber  Clark,  Esq.,  of  Philadel- 
phia.    Director  Doron  Green,  chairman  of  the  building 


302  A    HISTORY  OF  BKlSTOI.  BOROUGH. 

committee,  turned  the  building  over  to  the  school  board, 
in  a  short  address,  and  the  keys  were  accepted  by  Presi- 
dent Leech.  The  dedicatory  prayer  was  made  by  Rev. 
J.  K.  Moorhouse,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Church,  after 
which  President  Leech,  formally  dedicated  the  building 
for  school  purposes.  The  benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Dr.  C.  E.  Burns,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon  the  scholars  had  their  part  in 
the  ceremonies.  They  met  at  the  high  school  building 
and  marched  in  a  body  to  the  new  building.  The  magni- 
ficent flag  pole  which  stands  on  the  front  lawn,  being  lOO 
feet  from  base  to  the  ball  on  top,  was  formally  presented 
as  a  gift  from  the  Graduating  Class  of  1909.  The  presen- 
tation was  made  by  Ellwood  Wright,  a  member  of  the 
class.  A  handsome  flag,  12^  by  24  feet,  was  also  pre- 
sented to  the  school  as  a  gift  from  the  pupils  in  the 
grammar,  secondary  and  primary  grades.  Lawrence  Mc- 
Coy, a  pupil  in  the  ninth  grade,  made  the  presentation 
speech.  The  pole  and  flag  were  accepted  by  Director 
Doron  Green,  in  behalf  of  the  board.  When  the  flag  was 
unfurled  a  salute  was  fired  by  the  firing  squad  of  Henry 
Clay  Beatty  Post,  No.  73,  G.  A.  R.  Following  the  out- 
door exercises,  the  pupils  assembled  in  the  auditorium  of 
the  new  building  and  rendered  a  most  excellent  program. 
Addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  S.  W.  Gehrett,  D.  D.,  and 
Professor  J.  G.  Krichbaum,  a  former  principal  of  the 
Bristol  High  School.  At  the  close  of  the  exercises,  James 
Brooks,  of  the  class  of  1889,  presented  the  school  board, 
in  behalf  of  the  Alumni  Association,  with  eight  hand- 
some oxford  teachers'  Bibles,  for  use  in  the  building.  On 
Tuesday  evening  a  parents'  meeting  was  held.  Addresses 
were  made  by  Superintendent  Louise  D.  Baggs ;  Franklin 
Spencer  Edmunds,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia ;  Professor  J.  G. 
Krichbaum,  of  Woodbury,  Pa. ;  and  President  W.  V. 
Leech. 

The  exercises  came  to  a  brilliant  close  on  Wednesday 
evening,  when  the  president,  W.  V.  Leech,  gave  a  recep- 
tion and  banquet  in  the  school  auditorium  to  those  occu- 
pying official  positions  in  the  life  of  the  borough.  Among 
the  invited  guests  were  the  members  of  the  school  board, 
their    wives;    the    superintendent    and    teachers    of    the 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  3O3 

schools,  members  of  town  council,  the  burgess,  members 
of  the  board  of  health,  ministers  of  the  churches,  officers 
of  the  Alumni  Association,  representatives  of  the  local 
papers,  the  architects  who  planned  the  building,  the 
builder,  and  a  number  of  educational  men  throughout  the 
county.  There  were  in  all  about  150  guests.  President 
Leech  acted  as  toastmaster  and  toasts  were  responded  to 
as  follows :  "Views  on  Our  County  Public  School  Sys- 
tem," Judge  Mahlon  H.  Stout;  ''Our  Local  Schools,'* 
Superintendent  Louise  D.  Baggs;  "Reminiscences  of  an 
ex-Director,"  Burgess  Henry  E.  Ancker;  "A  Business 
Man's  Opinion  of  Our  Schools,"  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  man- 
ufacturer; "A  Few  Facts,"  Director  Doron  Green;  "Edu- 
cation in  Bucks  County,"  County  Superintendent  J.  H. 
Hoffman;  "Necessity  of  Friendly  Intercourse  Among 
Directors  in  the  County,"  Lewis  C.  Wettling,  of  New- 
town ;  "Impressions  I  Have  Formed  of  the  Local 
Schools,"  Rev.  J.  K.  Moorhouse ;  "A  Neighborly  Greet- 
ing," Dr.  A.  N.  Baggs,  president  of  Abbington  School 
Board ;  "The  Church's  Relation  to  the  Schools,"  Rev.  C. 
E.  Burns,  D.  D. ;  "Old  Time  School  Days,"  Charles  E. 
Scott,  cashier  Farmers'  National  Bank;  "Efficiency  of 
Our  Local  Schools,"  Dr.  S.  W.  Gehrett;  "Impressions 
of  Bristol,"  Joseph  L.  Heacock,  architect;  "The  Citizens* 
Duty  to  Our  Schools,"  Howard  I.  James,  Esq.;  "The 
High  School  Alumni,"  James  H.  Brooks. 

The  new  school  building  stands  upon  a  knoll  at  the 
intersection  of  Jefferson  Avenue  and  Pond  Street.  Sim- 
plicity is  represented  in  its  construction,  but  the  architects 
have  so  drawn  the  lines  of  the  building  and  taken  advan- 
tage of  the  natural  contour  of  the  ground,  that  the  build- 
ing itself  stands  as  a  monument  of  beauty.  Its  very 
plainness  and  simplicity  adds  to  its  charm  and  appear- 
ance. It  contains  eight  class  rooms  of  the  regulation  size, 
28  by  32  feet.  Each  room  contains  eight  windows.  A 
large  cloak  room  is  connected  with  each  class  room, 
which  is  adequately  lighted  and  heated.  Teachers'  closets 
are  placed  in  the  cloak  rooms,  with  accommodations  for 
a  large  number  of  books  and  necessary  supplies.  All  the 
rooms  are  equipped  with  slate  blackboards  3>^  feet  wide. 
The  furniture  is  of  cherry.     Each  room,  with  the  excep- 


304  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

tion  of  the  two  lowest  primary  grades,  contain  forty- 
eight  desks  and  seats  and  a  teacher's  desk  of  the  same 
material.  In  the  two  lowest  primary  grades,  accommoda- 
tions have  been  provided  for  fifty-six  pupils  in  each  room. 
One-third  of  the  desks  in  each  room  are  adjustable,  the 
board  having  figured  that  two-thirds  of  the  pupils  run 
uniform  in  size,  while  the  other  third  is  out  of  proportion. 

The  auditorium  has  been  placed  in  the  basement  on  the 
Pond  Street  side,  this  arrangement  being  made  possible 
by  reason  of  the  natural  slope  of  the  ground.  The  room 
is  365^  feet  wide  by  565^  feet  long  and  will  seat  400  per- 
sons. Large  wide  stairways  lead  down  to  the  auditorium 
from  the  upper  floors,  while  an  entrance  on  Pond  Street 
will  permit  the  use  of  the  room  for  evening  entertain- 
ments without  the  necessity  of  passing  through  the 
school  building.  In  the  basement  are  also  situated  the 
boys'  and  girls'  laboratories  and  toilet  rooms,  and  the 
boiler  room  and  coal  bin.  The  room  containing  the  boiler 
has  a  ceiling  of  reinforced  concrete,  a  floor  of  the  same 
material  and  brick  walls,  the  door  being  of  fireproof  con- 
struction, making  the  room  absolutely  fireproof.  A 
janitor's  entrance  in  the  basement,  under  the  front  en- 
trance, makes  it  possible  to  enter  the  boiler  room  with- 
out going  through  the  building. 

The  ventilating  system  is  elaborate  and  efficient.  The 
fresh  air  is  brought  into  the  basement  through  a  large 
sheet  iron  conduit,  passed  over  aspirating  coils  in  the 
basement,  heated  and  distributed  to  the  different  rooms, 
where  it  enters  as  warm  fresh  air.  Large  registers  set  in 
the  walls,  about  eight  feet  above  the  floor,  regulate  the 
supply  of  fresh  air  for  each  room.  These  registers  are 
operated  by  the  teachers.  In  all  the  rooms,  just  above 
the  washboards,  are  large  foul  air  registers.  The  foul  air 
conduits  are  connected  with  a  central  ventilator  on  the 
roof.  A  large  aspirating  coil  below  the  roof  causes  a 
constant  circulation  in  the  conduits,  which  draws  the 
foul  air  from  the  different  rooms.  The  building  is  heated 
by  direct  radiation,  an  adequate  number  of  wall  radiators 
being  installed  in  each  room. 

Another  feature  of  interest  are  the  hygenic  drinking 
fountains,  installed  on  each  floor.     No  cups  are  required, 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  305 

the  children  simply  placing  their  mouths  over  a  tiny- 
stream  which  shoots  up  from  the  fountains.  At  the  head 
of  the  stairs  on  the  top  floor  has  been  placed  a  teachers' 
room.  It  is  equipped  with  a  sanitary  couch,  to  be  used 
when  pupils  are  taken  sick,  a  ladies'  writing  desk,  labora- 
tory and  toilet  room.  The  building  is  lighted  with  gas 
and  electric  lights. 

The  grounds  surrounding  the  building  are  beautifully 
and  artistically  laid  out.  The  front  lawn  slopes  gently 
down  to  the  main  entrance,  where  a  green  terrace  and 
handsome  entrance  steps  and  gates  give  a  charm  to  the 
picture,  which  holds  the  admiration  of  the  spectator.  An 
iron  fence  surrounds  the  grounds  on  Jefferson  Avenue 
and  Pond  Street,  and  another  iron  fence  of  different  pat- 
tern divides  the  boys'  and  girls'  play  grounds.  A  rear 
entrance  off  Pond  Street  permits  the  children  to  enter 
the  play  grounds,  without  passing  through  the  building. 
A  wide  concrete  walk  leads  up  the  front  lawn  from  the 
entrance  gates  and  another  walk  leads  to  the  janitor's 
entrance.  The  entrance  to  auditorium  on  Pond  Street 
is  of  a  pretty  design.  The  main  posts  contain  electric 
lamps,  which  greatly  enhance  its  beauty  when  illumin- 
ated at  night. 

The  architectural  firm  which  supplied  the  plans  and 
superintended  the  construction  of  the  building,  was 
Heacock  &  Hokanson,  of  Philadelphia.  Lewis  T.  Rodan 
was  the  successful  bidder  for  installing  the  heating  and 
ventilating  system.  His  price  was  $4,001.  The  wood- 
work was  furnished  by  Peirce  &  Williams  and  represents 
a  class  of  high  grade  workmanship.  The  furniture  was 
purchased  from  the  New  Jersey  School  and  Church  Fur- 
niture Company,  of  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  the  blackboards 
from  the  Slatington-Bangor  State  Syndicate,  Slatington, 
Pa.  The  cement  used  in  the  construction  of  the  building 
was  purchased  direct  from  the  manufacturer,  at  a  saving 
of  several  hundred  dollars  to  the  board.  The  total  cost  of 
the  building  including  ground  and  all  the  furnishing,  was 
$38,711.07. 

The  Property  Committee,  which  had  charge  of  the 
work,  consisted  of  Doron  Green,  William  H.  Booz  and 
Edward  Swain.  The  president  of  the  board,  W.  V.  Leech, 


306  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

acted  in  conjunction  with  the  committee,  his  position 
making  him  an  ex-officio  member.  The  Supply  Commit- 
tee, which  purchased  the  furniture,  consisted  of  Jacob 
Young,  E.  H.  Foster,  Dr.  W.  C.  Le  Compte  and  Doron 
Green.  The  board  issued  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $38,000. 
Following  is  an  itemized  account  showing  the  entire  cost 
of  the  building: 

Building  Account. 

Jefferson  Avenue  Property. 

Amount  realized  from  sale  of  Bonds $38,186  25 

Interest  on  above  until  used 594  55 

Total  amount $38,780  80 

Cost  of  Ground,  Interest,  Taxes  and 

Improvements $4,556  14 

J.   N.  De   Groot,  Contractor 21,979  84 

L.  T  Rodan,  Heating  &  Ventilating  4,001  00 

Architect's   Fees i,5o6  47 

Cement 1,17991 

Furniture 2,445  60 

Outside    Mason    Work 1,060  00 

Counsel  Fees  and  Expenses  of  Bond 

Issue 368  54 

Iron   Fence 590  00 

Wood  Fence 123  14 

Grading  and   Hauling 32823 

Blackboards 178  58 

Electric   Work   and   Fixtures 18747 

Bricks  for  Pavement 131   15 

Insurance 75  00       38,711  07 

Balance  carried  to  General  Account,  1909 $69  T2, 

Governor  Edwin  S.  Stuart,  of  Pennsylvania,  Visits 
Bristol. — Governor  Edwin  S.  Stuart  was  the  principal 
speaker  at  the  Bristol  High  School  commencement,  held 
in  the  M.  E.  Church,  Friday  evening,  June  4,  1909.  Mr. 
Stuart  was  greeted  so  enthusiastically  upon  his  arrival 
in  the  town,  that  he  said  the  event  would  ever  remain 
fresh  in  his  memory.  Long  before  5.32  o'clock,  the  time 
scheduled  for  the  Governor's  arrival,  a  large  crowd  as- 
sembled at  the  station.  A  delegation  of  several  hundred 
public  school  children,  led  by  the  drummer  boys  of  the 
schools,  marched  from  the  high  school  building  to  the 
depot.    Each  child  carried  an  American  flag  and  all  were 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  307 

trembling  with  suppressed  excitement.  The  Governor 
stepped  from  the  train  into  the  midst  of  the  shouting  and 
jubilant  youngsters.  Before  leaving  the  depot  the  chil- 
dren sang  several  patriotic  songs  and  Mr.  Stuart  made  a 
short  speech,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the  cordial  greet- 
ing he  received  and  his  admiration  for  the  patriotic  fervor 
shown  by  the  children.  The  children  then  escorted  Gov- 
ernor Stuart  to  the  residence  of  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  on 
the  river  bank,  where  a  reception  was  tendered  him  at 
6.30  o'clock.  About  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were 
present.  The  guests  included  the  members  of  the  public 
school  board,  town  council,  those  at  the  head  of  the 
financial  and  commercial  interests  of  the  town  and  other 
prominent  men  in  the  borough  and  county.  When  the 
Governor  entered  the  church  where  the  commencement 
was  held  he  was  greeted  with  hearty  and  prolonged 
applause.  His  address  was  interesting,  and  listened  to 
with  close  attention  by  the  large  audience,  which  filled 
the  building  to  overflowing.  At  the  close  of  his  address 
he  received  a  long  and  continued  ovation.  A  pleasant 
feature  of  the  occasion  was  the  action  of  the  Governor 
in  consenting  to  pin  the  "Grundy"  medal  upon  the  win- 
ner, who  was  Miss  Helen  C.  Randall. 

Maggie  Winder,  a  Phenomenal  Pacing  Filly. — Maggie 
Winder,  bay  filly,  by  Oratorio,  2.13,  owned  by  Jacob 
Winder,  of  Bristol,  was  the  most  phenomenal  pacing 
filly  of  the  season  of  1909.  In  the  history  of  harness  rac- 
ing no  other  filly  has  the  credit  the  first  year  of  her  career 
as  a  3-year-old,  of  establishing  four  world's  records,  win- 
ning four  three-year-old  futurities,  a  stake  event  and  one 
purse  race  in  six  starts.  She  never  lost  a  heat  or  was 
headed  after  being  given  the  word,  and  never  made  a  mis- 
step or  a  break  in  her  races. 

Breeders  have  spent  thousands  of  dollars  and  a  lifetime 
to  breed  a  futurity  winner,  many  failing  in  their  eflforts 
and  only  a  few  succeeding,  but  the  owner  of  Maggie 
Winder,  accomplished  on  his  first  real  horse  purchase 
what  others  have  failed  to  do  after  many  attempts. 

Mr.  Winder  came  by  a  world's  champion  filly  in  a 
rather  peculiar  manner.    Through  a  desire  to  purchase  a 


3o8 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


driving  horse  for  his  wife,  Mrs.  Margaret  Winder,  Mr. 
Winder  looked  through  a  horse  sale  catalogue  and  saw 
the  name  of  a  mare,  Clara  Direct.  Pleased  by  the  name, 
he  bought  the  mare  through  Henry  Jones,  of  Caveland 
Farm,  Kentucky,  who  has  acted  as  his  trainer  since.  It 
was  not  until  her  foal  was  a  year  old  that  Mr.  Winder 
saw  the  mare  or  the  filly,  and  then  he  named  the  future 
record  breaker  Maggie  Winder,  in  honor  of  his  wife. 

Maggie  Winder  showed  trotting  ability  in  her  younger 
days,  developing  her  pacing  proclivities  later.    While  she 


MAGGIE    WINDKR.      TIME,   2.o6>^. 

was  working  in  her  two-year-old  form  the  filly  was  fitted 
with  toe  weights  to  increase  her  stride.  She  suddenly 
began  pacing  and  was  driven  at  2.11^  at  that  gait.  Mr. 
Jones,  finding  she  went  more  easily  that  way  and  seeing 
that  her  speed  was  increasing,  laid  her  up  with  the  idea 
of  having  her  in  championship  form  at  three  years  old. 

Maggie  Winder  was  first  started  on  her  career  at  Lex- 
ington, Ky.,  on  August  13,  1909,  in  the  2.20  class  at  the 
Blue  Grass  Fair,  with  horses  of  four  years  and  upwards, 
including  Pickles  4,  by  Billy  Sayre,   a  horse   that  had 


A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  309 

paced  at  2.11^  at  Danville  the  week  previous.  The 
Others  were  Sport  of  the  Times,  by  Ashland  Wilkes; 
Juno,  by  Jay  Morse ;  Kitty  Gray  and  Agnes  Forest.  Mag- 
gie Winder  won  straight  away  in  2.0854,  2.09,  setting  a 
new  world's  record  for  three-year-old  pacing  fillies,  the 
former  mark,  2.08  2-3  having  been  held  by  Brenda  Yorke, 
by  Moko,  made  in  1906. 

Her  next  start  was  at  Readville  in  the  American  Horse 
Breeders'  Futurity,  at  $2,000  stake,  in  which  she  won  at 
2.12^,  2.12^,  beating  Miss  Eva  Wilkes  and  Lacopia. 
She  was  shipped  on  a  1,100-mile  trip  to  Indianapolis, 
starting  on  September  6,  three  days  afterwards,  in  the 
Western  Horseman's  Futurity,  $2,000,  against  Dean 
Patch,  by  Norchen,  Dell  Patch,  Alma  Rex,  Huxley, 
Thelma  C.,  and  Opal  Royal,  and  distanced  all  but  Dean 
Patch  in  the  first  heat  in  2.06^,  having  a  jog  to  win  in 
the  second  heat  in  2.12. 

Four  days  afterwards  she  won  a  $600  stake  at  the  same 
track  in  2.15^,  from  Miss  Eva  Wilkes,  Gagan  and  Alma 
Rex,  the  last  named  being  distanced  in  the  first  heat, 
making  her  winning  $360  first  and  fourth  moneys. 

Maggie  Winder's  next  start  was  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  on 
September  22,  when  she  won  the  Kentucky  Stock  Farm 
Futurity  in  2.09^,  2.08^,  defeating  Capitola,  a  half  sis- 
ter by  Oratorio;  Miss  Eva  Wilkes,  by  Glenco  Wilkes, 
Dixie  Parole,  by  Parole,  who  had  shown  2.10  speed  in  her 
work  and  The  Philistine  by  Direct  Hal.  who  was  credited 
with  a  trial  in  2.07^. 

She  concluded  the  season  at  Lexington  on  October  7, 
by  winning  the  Kentucky  Futurity,  getting  first  and 
fourth  money  of  the  $2,000  purse  and  reducing  her  record 
of  2.06^,  made  at  Indianapolis,  to  2.06%,  in  the  third 
heat.  The  time  for  the  three  heats,  2.o§%,  2.09^,  2.06^, 
constitute  a  world's  record  for  three-year-old  pacing  fil- 
lies. In  her  thirteen  heats  paced  during  the  season,  she 
averaged  2.10.30  10-13  and  her  winnings  for  the  season 
were  $5,120. 

During  the  season  1910,  Mr.  Winder  kept  his  horse 
out  of  all  events,  as  it  was  a  hard  year  for  the  filly,  and  he 
and  Mr.  Jones  considered  it  best  not  to  push  her.  As 
this  history  is  going  to  press,  Mr.  Winder  is  staking  the 


310  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

horse  for  the  1911  season  of  which  nothing  can  as  yet  be 
said,  except  that  greater  things  still  are  expected  of  Mag- 
gie Winder.  (Contributed  by  Leo.  Pollock,  News  Edi- 
tor, Bristol  Daily  Courier.) 

Lincoln  Centennial  Anniversary. — What  was  perhaps 
the  greatest  patriotic  gathering  ever  seen  in  Bristol,  as- 
sembled in  the  Colonial  Theatre  on  Friday  evening,  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1909,  to  witness  the  celebration  of  the  one 
hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
by  the  pupils  of  the  high  school  and  grammar  grades  of 
our  local  public  schools.  On  the  stage  were  seated  the 
board  of  school  directors,  teachers,  members  of  town 
council,  Alumni  Association  and  the  veterans  of  Henry 
Clay  Beatty  Post  No.  73,  G.  A.  R.,  the  latter  being  the 
guests  of  the  children.  As  the  members  of  the  Post 
marched  down  the  aisle  the  children  gave  them  a  rousing 
reception,  waving  their  flags  and  singing  ''Marching 
Through  Georgia."  The  boys  in  the  school  contributed 
the  program  with  one  exception.  George  Smith,  a  pupil 
in  the  high  school,  made  the  address  of  welcome.  Intro- 
ductory remarks  by  the  chairman,  Doron  Green,  followed, 
and  Charles  E.  Scott,  cashier  of  the  Farmers'  National 
Bank  and  a  member  of  Henry  Clay  Beatty  Post  No.  73, 
delivered  an  address.  Rev.  S.  W.  Gehrett,  D.  D.,  the  pas- 
tor of  the  Bristol  M.  E.  Church,  was  the  last  speaker. 
During  the  day  appropriate  exercises  were  held  in  the 
primary  grade  departments,  the  entertainments  being  at- 
tended by  the  members  of  the  school  board  and  the  G. 
A.  R.  The  whole  day's  proceedings  were  marked  with 
great  enthusiasm. 

Memorial  Tablet  Unveiled  By  Children. — One  of  the 
most  impressive  services  ever  participated  in  by  the  pub- 
lic school  children  of  Bristol,  was  held  in  the  auditorium 
of  the  Jefferson  Avenue  school  building  on  Tuesday 
morning,  March  15,  1910,  in  connection  with  the  unveiling 
of  the  memorial  tablet  commemorating  the  memory  of 
the  late  William  H.  Grundy.  The  tablet  had  been  placed  in 
the  building  by  the  school  board  as  a  mark  of  appreciation 
for  the  kindness  of  Mrs.   Grundy  in  presenting  to  the 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  3II 

board  the  sum  of  $4,200  in  memory  of  her  husband,  which 
was  the  amount  paid  for  the  ground  upon  which  the  new 
school  building  has  been  erected.  At  the  banquet  held 
in  the  building  the  May  previous,  during  the  dedication 
exercises,  Mr.  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  when  making  the  pre- 
sentation, said  the  gift  was  made  as  a  memorial  to  his 
father,  because  the  ground  upon  which  the  building 
stands  was  the  family's  first  home  in  Bristol. 

The  children  of  the  seven  departments  assembled  in 
the  auditorium  at  9  o'clock.  On  the  platform  were  seated 
President  of  the  Board  William  V.  Leech ;  directors  Wil- 
liam Booz,  Dr.  W.  C.  LeCompte,  Doron  Green  and  the 
superintendent  of  the  schools.  Miss  Louise  D.  Baggs. 
The  exercises  were  entirely  informal.  The  children  sang 
Tennyson's  beautiful  composition  "Crossing  the  Bar," 
after  which  they  recited  in  concert  the  Twenty-third 
Psalm  and  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Another  selection  entitled 
"Lend  a  Helping  Hand,"  was  then  sung  and  at  the  con- 
clusion Director  Green  was  introduced. 

He  told  the  children  that  the  meeting  of  that  morning 
was  under  peculiar  circumstances,  that  never  before  in  the 
history  of  the  schools  had  the  children  been  invited  to  par- 
ticipate with  the  directors,  in  an  occasion  of  like  character. 
Telling  the  children  that  they  had  a  right  to  know 
something  about  the  man  in  whose  honor  the  tablet  was 
unveiled  he  reviewed  briefly  the  life  of  the  late  William 
H.  Grundy.  He  told  of  his  coming  here  in  1876;  the  in- 
terest he  manifested  in  the  town's  affairs ;  how  he  was 
twice  elected  burgess  of  Bristol;  how  he  was  once  hon- 
ored by  election  as  a  Presidential  elector,  and  told  of  his 
voyage  to  Russia  to  assist  in  the  distribution  of  the  sup- 
plies sent  by  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  to  the  starving 
people  of  that  country.  In  closing  Mr.  Green  dwelt  upon 
the  gift  to  the  board  and  explained  how  that  body  had 
decided  to  show  their  appreciation  by  placing  the  tablet 
in  the  building. 

The  children  sang  another  selection,  "The  Golden 
Rule,"  and  then  marched  in  a  body  upstairs  to  the  main 
corridor  where  the  tablet  had  been  placed.  As  the  chil- 
dren sang,  "My  Country  'Tis  of  Thee,"  Mr.  Leech  with- 
drew the  tacks  which  held  the  covering  in  place,  and  as 


312  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

the  closing  words  of  the  song  were  uttered  dropped  it  to 
the  floor,  thus  exposing  the  tablet  to  the  gaze  of  all.  The 
children  stood  in  silence,  as  a  mark  of  tribute  to  the  dead, 
and  then  at  a  command  from  their  teacher  marched  quiet- 
ly to  their  different  rooms. 

The  tablet  is  of  brass  and  occupies  a  place  on  the  left 
side  wall,  on  the  main  stairway  leading  up  from  the  front 
entrance  on  Jefferson  avenue.  It  bears  the  following  in- 
scription : 

This  tablet  commemorates  the  memory  of  the  late 
WILLIAM  H.  GRUNDY 

who    occupied    this    site    as    his    first    residence    in 

Bristol  in  1877,  and  in  honor  of  whose  memory  the 

ground    upon    which    the    school    house    has    been 

erected  was  presented  as  a  gift  to  the 

Bristol  School  Board 

May  26,    1909. 

—  (From   Bristol   Courier.) 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company's  New  Roadbed. 

— In  the  spring  of  1910,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Com- 
pany began  work  on  its  new  elevated  roadbed  through 
the  town.  The  object  of  the  improvement  is  to  straighten 
its  tracks,  as  well  as  eliminate  the  dangerous  grade 
crossings  which  now  exist.  The  new  elevated  roadbed 
which  begins  at  a  point  opposite  the  Bristol  Cemetery, 
follows  the  extreme  western  boundary  of  the  town  until 
Bath  Street  is  reached,  when  it  skirts  the  residential  por- 
tion of  the  Fourth  Ward  and  parallels  Garden  Street, 
crossing  the  canal  and  joining  the  main  line  a  short  dis- 
tance above  the  Hollow  Creek.  The  new  station  is  to  be 
placed  on  Prospect  Street,  between  Jefferson  Avenue  and 
Beaver  Stret.  It  is  expected  that  cars  will  be  running  on 
the  new  road  by  August,  191 1. 

Railroad's  New  Concrete  Bridges. — The  new  bridges 
which  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  has  erected 
on  its  elevated  line  through  Bristol  are  departures  in 
many  ways  in  concrete  bridge  building.  Three  of  the 
bridges  are  innovations  in  size  and  ornateness — those  at 
Corson,  Spruce  and  Pine  Streets.  All  of  the  spans  are 
of  concrete  construction,  but  the  three  last  named  are  of 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


313 


concrete  entire  with  steel  used  only  in  reinforcement  rods. 
The  bridges  at  Corson,  Spruce  and  Pine  Streets  are  the 
largest  concrete  slab  bridges  probably  ever  erected.  Not 
that  they  are  the  largest  concrete  spans  ever  erected,  for 
the  arched  bridge  at  Walnut  Lane  over  the  Wissahickon, 
Philadelphia,  holds  the  record.  But  the  Walnut  Lane 
bridge  is  arched  and  these  Bristol  bridges  are  straight 
across  from  abutment  to  abutment. 


OLD  p.  R.  R.  STATION.  POND  STREET. 


Concrete  slab  bridges  have  been  placed  prior  to  this, 
but  the  slabs  have  never  exceeded  20  feet,  in  fact  most 
of  them  are  10  or  11  feet  long.  The  new  slabs  ar^  31  feet, 
greater  than  ever  before  attempted.  From  abutment  to 
abutment  the  bridges  are  50  feet. 

The  advantages  of  concrete  spans  lie  in  their  longevity 
and  minimum  cost  of  maintenance.  Iron  bridges  do  not 
last  nearly  so  long  as  concrete,  which  is  practically  inde- 
structible; iron  also  must  be  painted  constantly  in  order 
to  lengthen  its  life.  Concrete  spans  need  no  attention 
after  they  are  finished. 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  concluded  to  use  concrete 
spans  in  view  of  the  superiority  of  that  material  over  iron 


314  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH, 

for  bridge  work.  Because  of  the  narrowness  of  the  dis- 
tances to  span  ordinary  streets,  arched  concrete  bridges 
would  have  had  to  be  very  long  and  erected  at  a  consid- 
erable height.  The  elevated  structure  is  not  sufficiently 
high  to  permit  arched  bridges,  so  slab  spans  had  to  be 
utilized.  The  disadvantage  then  arose  of  laying  slabs  of 
over  20  feet. 

The  railroad  engineers  determined  to  construct  slab 
bridges  on  this  work  of  greater  length  than  heretofore, 
and  they  have  succeeded  in  their  efforts. 

Besides  being  a  feat  of  engineering  ingenuity  the 
bridges  are  things  of  beauty.  They  are  as  gracefully  out- 
lined as  the  temples  of  the  departed  Grecians  and 
Romans,  the  designers  having  gone  beyond  the  goal  of 
planning  utilitarian  spans  which  would  stand  best  the 
strain  of  heavy  trains  thundering  across  them,  and  they 
have  placed  in  Bristol  examples  of  high  class  architecture 
that  are  a  credit  to  the  town.  The  style  used  is  an  adap- 
tation of  the  Moorish. 

The  other  bridges  are  of  steel  and  concrete  construc- 
tion. The  manner  of  covering  the  steel  floors  so  as  to 
make  them  invulnerable  to  water  is  interesting.  A  layer 
of  concrete  is  laid  over  the  floor,  over  this  is  spread  a 
coating  of  a  patent  waterproofing  fluid,  then  comes  a 
cushion  of  sand,  then  brick  and  "grout,"  or  fluid  cement. 
In  this  way  the  span  is  protected  from  rain,  snow,  frost 
and  the  action  of  the  atmosphere.     (Bristol  Republican. 

Halley's  Comet. — After  a  disappearance  of  seventy-five 
years,  Halley's  comet  returned  and  became  visible  to  the 
naked  eye,  in  the  eastern  sky,  about  May  i,  1910. 
Astronomers  announced  that  on  the  night  of  May  i8th 
the  earth  would  pass  through  the  tail  of  the  comet  at  11 
P.  M.,  and  suggested  the  possibility  of  an  electrical  dis- 
play or  meteoric  showers,  when  the  earth  took  the 
plunge.  Hundreds  of  people  remained  up  to  see  the 
spectacle,  but  the  earth  passed  through  the  tail  without 
a  visible  sign  and  many  were  disappointed.  A  few  were 
frightened  as  the  day  approached,  but  the  great  majority 
regretted  the  absence  of  some  display  when  the  great 
event  took  place.     For  two  weeks  following  its  contact 


A  HISTORY  0^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  315 

with  the  earth,  the  comet  could  be  plainly  seen  above  the 
western  horizon.  Astronomers  claimed  that  the  head  of 
the  comet  measured  200,000  miles  in  diameter;  its  tail 
was  25,000,000  miles  long  and  its  distance  from  the  earth 
14,000,000  miles  at  the  time  of  contact.  The  width  of  the 
tail  at  the  point  where  the  earth  cut  through  it  was  1,000,- 
000  miles  and  it  required  about  five  hours  to  make  the 
passage. 

The  First  Airship  to  Pass  Over  Bristol. — Charles  K. 
Hamilton,  the  daring  aviator,  passed  over  Bristol  in  his 
biplane,  Monday  morning,  June  13,  1910,  at  9.30  o'clock. 
This  was  the  first  airship  to  make  the  flight  between  New 
York  and  Philadelphia.  On  his  return  journey  he  passed 
Bristol  at  11.33  A.  M.  A  special  train  on  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  acted  as  a  guide  to  the  aviator.  Hamil- 
ton's speed  was  between  fifty-five  and  sixty  miles  an 
hour.  Considerable  excitement  prevailed  in  Bristol,  the 
tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  being  lined  with 
people  eager  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  biplane. 

History  of  Radcliffe  Street. — The  following  article  was 
taken  from  the  Bucks  County  Gazette.  It  was  written 
during  the  summer  of  1910,  by  our  fellow  townsman  C. 
Wesley  Milnor,  one  of  Bristol's  oldest  and  most  respected 
citizens,  and  gives  an  interesting  history  of  the  eastern 
side  of  Radcliffe  Street,  away  back  in  the  fifties  of  the 
last  century: 

"Near  the  Hollow  Bridge,  so  called,  there  stands  just 
south  of  the  antique  structure  an  unpretentious  little 
dwelling  not  very  large  in  any  degree.  In  this  little  dwell- 
ing lived  one  Alexander  Condy,  a  good  citizen  of  our 
town,  who  taught  school  in  the  winter  season  and  when 
there  was  any  work  toiled  in  the  ship  yard  just  adjacent. 
Mr.  Condy  was  a  calker  by  trade  and  followed  this  occu- 
pation when  there  was  any  work  in  this  yard.  In  the 
larger  one  of  the  row  of  brick  houses  lived  one  Charles 
Thompson,  who  owned  this  property  and  carried  on  the 
business  for  a  time. 

"There  came,  however,  two  people  under  the  firm  name 
of  Risley  &  Wright,  who  built  two  vessels  of  good  size 
named  the  William  H.  White  and  Nathan  Tyler. 

22 


3l6  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

"By  the  way,  a  number  of  our  citizens  were  holders  of 
vessel  stock  which  proved  to  be  a  good  investment  on 
account  of  the  coal  trade  to  and  from  our  town.  The 
writer  worked  in  this  yard  at  the  liberal  pay  of  50  cents 
per  day  and  boarded  himself,  attempting  to  learn  the 
trade.  Just  think  of  it,  and  compare  it  with  the  present, 
with  beef  at  28  to  30  cents  a  pound. 

"Adjoining  this  property,  what  is  now  called  the  Wor- 
rell property,  there  lived  General  William  Montgomery, 
a  retired  army  officer,  with  his  family,  together  with 
Thomas  and  William  Wood.  General  Montgomery  was  a 
gentleman  of  the  old  school,  showing  his  military 
training. 

"Next  adjoining  there  lived  Francis  Jacoby.  He,  too, 
was  a  type  of  the  old  school  respected  by  his  friends  and 
faultless  in  his  dress.  I  remember  him  Avhen  he  kept  a 
horse  and  buggy,  and  John  Weaver  was  his  driver  and 
general  utility  man.  This  mansion  of  Mr.  Jacoby's  has 
been  remodeled  and  the  residence  of  Clifford  L.  Ander- 
son added  to  the  lot  owned  by  Mr.  Jacoby. 

"As  we  are  walking  southward  on  this  street  on  the  site 
of  the  Jonathan  Wright  estate,  there  stood,  just  back 
from  the  street,  obscured  almost  with  shrubbery  and 
flowers,  a  quaint  old  house  one  and  one-half  stories  high 
in  which  lived  Samuel  Bankson,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Reuben  Pedrick.  Adjoining  this  is  the  Robert  Beatty 
homestead,  an  old  residence,  where  Robert  Beatty  reared 
a  large  family  and  was  a  man  of  noble  character  and  at 
one  time  cashier  of  our  bank. 

"Well  I  remember  Beatty's  hill  in  winter  when  the 
coasting  was  good  and  also  the  bathing  ground  in  the 
summer  in  the  Delaware.  A  few  of  the  boys  were  always 
welcome  to  enjoy  the  sports  and  pleasures  at  the  Beatty 
home. 

"We  now  have  come  to  the  property  of  the  late  John 
K.  Wildman  which  at  the  time  I  am  writing  of  was 
occupied  by  William  M.  Downing,  the  father  of  our 
townsman,  William  M.  Downing,  the  flour  merchant. 
Mr.  Downing  was  an  agent  of  one  of  the  coal  companies 
which  were  located  in  Bristol  at  that  time. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  317 

"Adjoining  this  property  in  the  yellow  mansion  there 
lived  Lucius  H.  Scott,  a  fine,  noble  gentleman,  an  hon- 
ored member  of  Bristol  Lodge  No.  25,  also  of  St.  James 
Church,  a  man  whom  if  once  seen  you  would  always 
remember. 

"We  now  have  reached  what  has  always  been  known 
as  the  'haunted  house,'  the  property  then  of  a  Miss  Sarah 
Keene,  who  also  owned  a  brick  house  corner  Tenth  and 
Chestnut  Streets,  Philadelphia,  where  the  Mutual  Life 
Building  now  stands.  This  sombre  looking  house  with 
no  visible  sign  of  life  or  cheerfulness  about  it  had  stood 
unmolested  nor  inspected  for  many  years,  until  recently, 
when  I  have  been  told  one  of  our  ladies  took  a  party 
through  it  for  inspection.  One,  William  Whitley,  with 
his  family,  lived  in  the  basement  at  that  time. 

"We  have  now  arrived  at  the  palatial  mansion  now 
occupied  by  our  fellow  townsman,  Joseph  R.  Grundy. 
This  property  was  once  owned  and  occupied  by  Captain 
Joseph  B.  Hutchinson,  Sr.,  who  lived  there  and  was  the 
father  of  Joseph  B.  Hutchinson,  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
school  and  lived  here  before  erecting  the  stone  edifice 
on  the  Beaver  Dam  Road.  This  house  was  once  occu- 
pied by  Robert  Tyler,  a  relative  of  ex-President 
Tyler.  Mrs.  Tyler  was  a  descendant  of  Thomas 
Cooper,  the  tragedian,  who  figured  in  the  theatrical 
world  in  the  days  of  Edwin  Forrest.  Unfor- 
tunately, I  might  say,  Mr.  Tyler  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy  at  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion. 
Although  holding  a  good  position,  I  think,  in  the  Phila- 
delphia courts,  he  took  up  with  a  cause  that  was  not 
worthy  of  the  support  of  any  man,  and  that  finally  ended 
in  its  overthrow  and  caused  much  distress  and  expense 
to  our  country.  He  had  a  fine  family.  Mrs.  Tyler  was  a 
highly  educated  woman,  of  fine  social  qualities  and  well 
thought  of  in  our  community. 

"On  the  site  of  the  residence  of  John  C.  Stuckert  and 
others,  there  stood  an  old  brick  dwelling  which  was  called 
the  'old  bake  house,'  It  has  been  said  it  was  used  as  a 
hospital  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  It  also  has 
been  said  that  Lafayette  stopped  there  for  a  time,  so  you 


3l8  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

see  our  town  has  a  more  than  passing  record  of  figuring 
in  the  war  of  the  revolution. 

"At  or  about  the  river  front  of  Dr.  Lecompte's  there 
was  a  fine  beach  at  the  river  edge  which  was  used  by  our 
Baptist  people  as  a  place  to  administer  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism by  immersion.  C.  J.  Page  was  the  pastor  in  charge 
and  frequently  conducted  these  exercises.  Mr.  Page 
was  here  for  some  years  and  was  a  strong  exponent  of 
the  Bible,  as  well  as  a  staunch  advocate  of  Temperance. 

"There  were  no  houses  from  this  spot  to  Walnut  Street, 
where  we  find  a  building  now  occupied  by  the  Order  of 
Elks,  originally  called  the  Beaver  Meadow  House,  kept 
as  a  boarding  house  by  a  Mrs.  Crooks. 

"Let  me  say  that  from  this  point  to  the  Laing  property, 
outside  the  borough  limits,  there  was  a  string  of  wharves 
upon  which  were  stored  thousands  of  tons  of  coal  which 
came  to  Bristol  via  the  canal  and  was  unloaded  from 
boats  carrying  from  75  to  90  tons  and  then  reloaded  on 
vessels  for  eastern  points.  This  required  a  vast  amount 
of  manual  labor  and  consequently  gave  employment 
to  a  large  class,  who  kept  up  these  boarding  houses.  This 
industry  did  much  to  build  up  a  business  for  Bristol  and 
added  to  the  thriving  prosperity  of  the  town  at  that  time. 
Other  facilities  having  developed  the  coal  industry  in  a 
wholesale  sense  is  a  thing  of  the  past  in  the  history  of 
Bristol. 

"Adjoining  lots  with  the  Elks'  property  is  the  residence 
of  Ernest  Lawrence,  which  is  of  a  more  recent  origin. 

"We  come  to  a  brick  dwelling  wherein  Jesse  W. 
Knight  now  resides,  formerly  occupied  by  W.  B.  Baker, 
but  at  the  time  of  my  story  was  the  residence  of  Captain 
Lloyd  B.  Newell.  Mr.  Newell  was  a  retired  navy  officer 
and  lived  with  us  for  a  number  of  years.  A  Commodore 
Shaw  also  made  his  home  with  him.  It  was  also  occupied 
by  William  R.  Dickinson,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  his  day. 

"Next  we  find  on  the  site  of  the  new  house  of  the 
Johnson  family,  two  or  three  dwellings  owned  by  one 
Benjamin  Brown,  who  was  a  respected  resident  of  our 
town.  William  Tabram  lived  on  this  property  and  car- 
ried on  a  business  of  dealer  in  rags,  iron  and  second  hand 
articles  in  general  and  did  a  good  business.    In  the  small 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  319 

house  Standing  back  from  the  street  there  lived  a  Mr. 
Harlan  and  family. 

"The  large  dwelling  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Frank  Leh- 
man, was  built  by  a  John  Magoffin,  who  with  his  wife, 
lived  there  for  a  number  of  years.  The  house  is  probably 
the  best  built  house  of  its  kind  in  the  town  and  it  is  said 
that  Mr.  Magoffin  superintended  the  erection  of  his  home 
and  that  any  material  that  was  not  up  to  the  standard  he 
would  not  let  it  go  in  the  construction.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Magoffin  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and 
were  well  known  for  their  deeds  of  charity  and  example 
of  the  true  Christian  life.  Mr.  Magoffin  would  frequently 
on  Sundays  in  summer,  wend  his  way  to  the  canal  basin 
and  there  gather  a  lot  of  boatmen  together  and  expound 
to  them  the  teaching  of  God's  word  from  the  Bible. 

"There  lived  in  a  yellow  house,  where  the  beautiful 
home  of  G.  M.  Dorrance  now  stands,  a  Mrs.  John  Myers, 
a  fine  widow,  a  member  of  St.  James'  Church,  at  one  time 
its  organist  in  the  old  edifice,  where  I  have  seen  her  pre- 
side at  the  organ,  during  the  pastorate  of  William  S.  Per- 
kins. Mrs.  Myers  was  a  noble  specimen  of  a  lady  in  its 
truest  sense,  kind,  charitable  and  a  devout  Christian. 

"On  the  opposite  side  of  Mulberry  Street  hill  there 
lived  Captain  George  Breck,  who  had  a  military  career 
but  I  cannot  recall  of  what  kind.  He  also  was  a  member 
of  St.  James  Church,  a  perfect  gentleman,  well  known  in 
our  town  for  his  many  good  qualities. 

"We  have  now  arrived  at  a  point  in  our  narrative 
covering  the  imposing  structure  of  the  Farmers*  National 
Bank  of  Bucks  County,  a  building  of  imposing  architec- 
ture standing  for  years  as  sentinel  guarding  the  peoples' 
money;  an  institution  solid  as  a  rock  and  managed  by 
men  of  strict  integrity  until  today  it  is  second  to  none 
in  the  county,  and  would  no  doubt  be  on  an  equality  with 
any  in  the  State.  Robert  Beatty  was  its  cashier,  assisted 
by  Charles  Iredell,  both  good  men.  It  is  now  managed 
by  our  genial  townsman  Charles  E.  Scott,  and  his  son 
Thomas  as  assistant,  both  able  financiers. 

"An  incident  comes  to  my  mind  that  will  illustrate  the 
faith  our  people  have  in  this  institution.  There  was  an 
old   Irishman  in  our  town  who  had  through  economy 


320  A   HISTORY  01^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

saved  quite  a  sum  of  money  in  the  way  of  gold,  there 
being  a  premium  on  the  same  during  the  war.  It  was  his 
custom  to  consult  a  friend  as  to  what  it  was  selling  for; 
when  one  day  he  finally  sold  it  and  received  in  exchange 
greenbacks  for  the  same ;  and  it  is  said  that  he  had  such 
confidence  in  our  bank  that  he  exchanged  the  greenbacks 
for  our  bank's  issue  of  notes,  never  dreaming  that  if  the 
government  went  up,  the  bank  notes  would  be  no  good. 

"Where  Tom  Scott  now  lives  there  lived  a  family  by 
the  name  of  Vezin  for  quite  a  time  and  was  afterward 
occupied  by  a  Mrs.  Fraily  and  also  A.  L.  Packer. 

"The  two  brick  houses  next  adjoining  were  not  built 
until  quite  recently  as  well  as  the  building  of  the  Bristol 
Trust  Company,  this  being  erected  but  a  short  time  back, 
and  as  it  is  composed  in  its  board  of  officers  of  some  of  our 
best  citizens  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  succeed 
in  its  mission  and  thereby  benefit  its  stockholders  and  the 
community  in  general.  There  stood  on  the  site  of  this 
a  large  mansion  where  John  Dorrance  and  family  once 
resided  for  quite  a  season  and  was  afterward  used  later 
on  by  William  Fabian  as  a  furniture  and  house  furnishing 
store. 

'*John  Dorrance  was  an  old  resident  of  our  town  and 
had  large  business  interests,  was  a  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Dorrance  &  Knight  also  Dorrance  &  Doron  who 
managed  the  old  mill  for  many  years.  He  was  interested 
in  the  railroad  and  other  enterprises,  was  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  built  the  mansion  now  occupied  by  G. 
M.  Dorrance.  He  was  a  member  of  St.  James'  Church  and 
one  ot  Its  regular  communicants.  He  lived  here  and 
passed  away  at  a  good  old  age  well  liked  and  respected  by 
his  fellowmen. 

"Where  the  post  office  now  stands  was  a  building  occu- 
pied by  a  number  of  persons  in  different  kinds  of  busi- 
ness, the  upper  story  being  used  as  a  public  hall  for 
various  purposes. 

"We  now  come  to  what  was  the  terminus  of  the  Phila- 
delphia &  Trenton  Railroad  Company,  where  trains  were 
run  from  Trenton  and  New  York,  and  thence  by  boat  to 
Philadelphia.  This  business  was  carried  on  prior  to  1850 
and  I  clearly  recall  the  trains  going  and  coming  down 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  32I 

Market  Street  when  I  was  but  a  small  boy.  The  boat 
would  come  to  Bristol  from  Bordentown  and  there  wait 
for  the  train  and  take  the  passengers  to  Philadelphia. 
When  quite  a  boy  I  sold  the  Philadelphia  newspapers  to 
passengers  from  Bordentown  and  Trenton  and  some 
mornings  would  sell  from  thirty  to  fifty  papers  whilst  the 
passengers  were  being  transferred.  I  think  there  was 
only  one  train  a  day  from  Trenton  and  only  two  from 
New  York  in  the  early  part  of  its  existence  in  our  town. 
After  a  time  this  business  was  transferred  to  Tacony; 
then  again  to  Kensington  and  finally  to  Broad  Street. 
What  a  contrast  between  now  and  the  beginning  of  1850. 
The  old  depot  was  used  during  the  war  as  a  storehouse 
for  hay  and  straw,  wherein  hundreds  of  tons  were  baled 
and  shipped  to  the  front  for  our  army.  The  building  was 
later  on  demolished. 

"The  two  or  three  frame  buildings  adjoining  were  occu- 
pied by  different  persons  during  his  time.  The  one  that 
I  can  recall  now  was  a  carpenter  named  Harrison  Brels- 
ford.  He  was  also  a  ferryman  in  the  winter  time  when 
the  ferry  boat  was  laid  up.  Christopher  O'Reilly  once 
had  a  newspaper  agency  in  one  of  these  houses.  This 
brings  us  to  that  old  hostelry,  the  Delaware  House  (be- 
fore the  days  of  railroading  it  was  Bessonett's  Hotel).  It 
has  been  a  landmark  for  many  years  whilst  not  now  hav- 
ing its  original  appearance,  but  being  considerably 
changed  by  painting,  etc.,  yet  it  has  a  history  that  belongs 
to  our  ancient  town  that  is  worth  thinking  over.  As  I 
have  said  it  was  originally  called  Bessonett's  Hotel,  being 
kept  by  a  man  of  that  name.  It  was  here  where  passen- 
gers who  were  fatigued  with  the  tedious  journey  from 
Philadelphia  to  New  York — (for  it  took,  sixty  years  ago, 
two  days  to  get  there  in  a  lumbering  old  stage  coach  and 
you  had  to  pay  four  dollars  for  the  pleasure),  stopped  to 
rest  over  night  and  also  to  change  horses.  I  recall  an 
incident  written  by  our  townsman,  William  Kinsey, 
wherein  he  stated  that  there  was  a  rivalry  in  regard  to 
carrying  the  mail  between  this  man  Bessonett  and  a  Mr. 
Reeside,  which  created  an  opposition  line  and  handbills 
were  posted  throughout  the  town  by  the  opposition : 


322  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH. 

Unparalleled  speed. 
Philadelphia  to  New  York  in  two   days,  ' 
Comfort  and  safety  assured. 
Fare,  $4. 

"Just  think  of  it,  when  now,  in  1910,  you  can  travel 
from  Philadelphia  to  New  York  on  some  trains  in  about 
ninety  minutes.  What  a  contrast,  surely  we  Americans 
are  progressive  and  hard  to  beat.  This  hotel  was  kept 
later  on  by  Lewis  F.  Pratt  and  others." 

Showing  Increase  in  Population. — In  1753,  Bristol  con- 
tained only  seventy-two  taxables,  twenty-four  of  whom 
were  single  men.  In  1806,  Bristol  contained  ninety 
houses.  By  the  census  of  1800,  the  population  was  511; 
in  1810,  628;  in  1820,  908;  in  1830,  1,262;  in  1840,  1,438;  in 
1850,  2,570;  of  which  there  were  males,  1,287;  females, 
1,283;  (colored  persons,  89).  This  shows  a  prosperous 
increase  of  1,132  souls,  during  the  decade  between  1840- 
50.  In  1850-51,  there  were  about  450  dwellings  in  the 
borough  (besides  a  number  of  shops  of  various  kinds), 
and  in  the  spring  of  1852,  they  numbered  500  .  In  1853 
the  borough  contained  600  buildings,  as  dwellings,  stores 
and  manufactories  of  various  kinds,  and  Wm.  Bache 
placed  the  population  at  3,000.  The  population  in  i860 
had  reached  3,314;  in  1870,  3,269;  in  1880,  5,273;  in  1890, 
6,553 ;  in  1900,  7,101 ;  in  1910,  9,256. 

Bristors  Oldest  Citizen. — Joseph  S.  Peirce,  Brrstors 
oldest  male  citizen,  recently  celebrated  his  ninety-second 
birthday  anniversary.  Three  years  ago  he  was  seriously 
ill  and  since  that  time  has  been  confined  to  his  room.  He 
has  lost  the  motion  in  his  lower  limbs  and  his  memory  is 
greatly  impaired.  He  resides  with  his  son,  E.  M.  Peirce, 
on  RadcliflFe  Street. 

Mr.  Peirce  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  the  house  next 
door  to  that  known  as  the  Betsy  Ross  House  on  Arch 
Street.  He  was  educated  in  Philadelphia  and  Byberry, 
where  his  parents  afterwards  resided.  As  a  young  man 
he  found  employment  in  Maryland,  but  left  that  state  to 
come  to  Bristol  in  185 1.  He  was  at  one  time  superin- 
tendent of  the  forge  which  stood  where  Henderson's 
carpet  mills  now  stand.  Mr.  Peirce  identified  himself 
with  the  Abolition  movement  early  in  its  career  and  be- 


A  HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  323 

came  one  of  the  most  active  agents  of  the  Underground 
Railroad,  taking  care  of  the  Bristol  end.  It  was  he  who 
helped  Captain  Dangerfield  from  Philadelphia,  from 
which  city  the  escaped  slave  so  mysteriously  disappeared. 
Mr.  Peirce  sheltered  the  captain  in  his  home  on  the  night 
of  his  disappearance,  until  midnight,  when  he  rowed  him 
across  the  river  to  Burlington,  where  together  they  took 
the  "Owl"  train  for  Camden.  Mr.  Peirce  accompanied 
him  a  short  distance,  when  he  was  relieved  by  another 
agent  of  the  Underground  Railroad,  and  returned  to 
Bristol. 

After  the  war,  Mr.  Peirce  went  to  the  oil  regions,  re- 
turning to  Bristol  in  1868.  He  went  into  partnership 
with  his  brothers,  Charles  and  Joshua,  forming  the  firm 
of  Peirce  Brothers.  This  firm  cut  the  old  Cyrus  Peirce 
farm,  above  Lafayette  Street,  into  lots  and  financed  and 
influenced  manufactories  to  establish  in  Bristol.  After 
the  dissolution  of  the  firm,  Mr.  Peirce  conducted  a  coal 
business  until  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  E.  M.  Peirce, 
in  1888.  Since  1902,  he  has  retired  from  all  business  and 
lived  quietly  with  his  son  Edward,  on  Radcliflfe  Street. 
Recently,  owing  to  the  serious  illness  of  his  son,  Mr. 
Peirce  was  removed  to  the  home  of  his  daughter,  at  Wor- 
cester, Mass.,  where  he  still  remains. 

Note. — Since  the  writing  of  this  article,  Mr.  Peirce  has  passed 
away.  His  death  occurred  on  April  24,  1911,  at  the  home  of  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Edith  Getchell,  Worcester,  Mass.  The  article  is 
retained,  however,  for  its  historical  value. 


324  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


EPOCH    IX. 


BRISTOL  OF  TODAY— igii. 


Introduction. — The  little  collection  of  log  cabins  which 
were  erected  in  the  early  years  of  our  history,  by  the 
settlers  upon  the  banks  of  our  beautiful  river,  have  been 
superceded  by  the  substantial  and  comfortable  residences 
that  meet  the  eye  today.  The  hardy  pioneers  of  225 
years  ago,  who  with  axe  and  cleaver  cleared  the  land  and 
erected  their  unpretentious  habitations,  have  given  place 
to  another  class  of  people,  who  know  nothing  of  the  toil, 
privations  and  hardships  which  were  endured  by  those 
who  preceded  them.  Yet  we  have  every  reason  to  feel 
proud  of  our  citizenship.  For  intelligence,  industry,  cor- 
diality and  everything  that  contributes  to  the  highest 
type  of  American  manhood,  our  citizenship  is  not  sur- 
passed by  any  other  town  of  corresponding  size  in  the 
whole  United  States. 

Unsurpassed  Opportunities. — Situated  on  the  bank  of 
the  beautiful  Delaware,  with  the  main  line  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  running  through  the  town,  and  trolley 
service  to  Philadelphia,  Trenton  and  Doylestown,  un- 
surpassed opportunities  are  offered  for  transportation 
and  commerce.  Yet  unsurpassed  as  these  opportunities 
have  been,  the  near  proximity  of  Philadelphia  has  proven 
a  deterrent  factor,  and  what  under  other  conditions 
would  have  been  a  blessing,  has  to  the  merchants  of 
Bristol  proved  the  reverse.  The  large  department  stores 
of  Philadelphia  have  delivery  wagons  in  Bristol,  and 
many  of  the  citizens  purchase  their  clothing,  furniture, 


HENRY  E.  ANXKER. 
Burgess  of  Bristol. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOr.  BOROUGH.  325 

etc.,  in  the  larger  city,  and  have  the  deliveries  made  to 
their  homes  here,  without  extra  charge  for  transporta- 
tion. Nevertheless,  Bristol  exhibits  an  abundance  of 
business  houses.  Mill  Street  is  the  principal  business 
street  of  the  town  and  has  but  five  or  six  dwelling  houses, 
its  entire  length,  all  the  other  places  being  devoted  to 
business.  The  Bristol  Mills,  on  this  street,  which  for 
nearly  two  centuries,  contributed  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  town,  are  today  a  mass  of  ruins.  The  office  has  been 
converted  into  a  store,  which  is  leased  by  Samuel  Scott, 
an  old  resident  of  the  town.  Radclifife  Street  has  no 
stores  above  Mulberry  Street.  Bath  Street  is  assuming  a 
business  air  and  is  fast  becoming  a  strong  rival  of  Mill 
Street.  Most  of  the  other  streets  of  the  town,  each  con- 
tain one  or  more  stores. 

Population  Cosmopolitan. — The  population  of  the  town 
is  thoroughly  cosmopolitan,  made  up  of  the  following 
nationalities :  German,  Irish,  Italian,  Prussian,  English, 
Greek,  Scotch,  Welsh,  Swiss,  Hungarian,  Hebrew  and 
Chinese.  The  Italians  are  the  latest  acquisition  to  our 
citizenship.  They  have  settled  mostly  in  the  northeast- 
ern section  of  the  town,  in  and  near  Brook  Street.  The 
Roman  Catholic  branch  have  erected  a  brown  stone 
church  at  the  corner  of  Dorrance  and  Pond  Streets,  while 
those  who  hold  to  the  Protestant  faith,  are  identified  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  and  have  recently  completed 
a  chapel  building  at  the  corner  of  Wood  Street  and 
Lincoln  Avenue.  The  children  of  the  Italian  residents 
are  mostly  employed  in  the  mills  and  factories.  Many  of 
the  Hebrew  residents  are  in  business  in  various  parts 
of  the  town,  while  from  the  sturdy  stock  of  our  English, 
German  and  Irish  settlers,  have  come  our  best  citizens 
of  today. 

Manufacturing  District. — The  northeastern  section  of 
the  town,  between  the  canal  and  railroad,  above  Beaver 
Street,  is  all  occupied  by  manufacturing  industries,  the 
names  of  which  are  as  follows :  Thomas  L.  Leedom  Co., 
carpet  manufacturers;  Gledhill  Wall  Paper  Company; 
Peirce  &  Williams,  Wood  Turning  Mill;;  T.  B.  Harkins 


326  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Foundry  Company;  Edward  T.  Steel  &  Co.,  manufac- 
turers of  men's  worsted  fabrics;  Wm.  H.  Grundy  &  Co., 
worsted  yarns.  Wm.  Henderson  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
carpet  mill  located  along  the  canal  near  Buckley  & 
Beaver  Streets.  The  Corona  Company's  plant  fronts  on 
Beaver  Street  above  Mansion  Street,  and  the  factory  of 
the  Bristol  Patent  Leather  Company  is  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  above  the  town,  between  the  railroad  and  canal. 
The  Standard  Cast  Iron,  Pipe  and  Foundry  Company 
occupies  a  site  along  the  river  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
above  the  Hollow  Creek.  The  new  plant  of  the  Artesian 
Ice  &  Dairy  Products  Co.  is  located  in  the  Fourth  Ward 
near  the  Washington  Street  swinging  bridge.  The  num- 
ber of  people  employed  in  these  industries  aggregates 
3,300,  while  the  wages  annually  paid  to  these  operatives 
amount  to  the  sum  of  $1,750,000,  and  the  value  of  the 
manufactured  product  to  $12,000,000  annually. 

Well  Supplied  With  Churches. — The  town  is  well  sup- 
plied with  churches  as  follows.  Society  of  Friends, 
Methodist  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Baptist,  St.  James' 
P.  E.  Church,  St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Church,  St.  Mark's  R.  C. 
Church,  English  Lutheran,  German  Lutheran,  St.  Ann's 
Italian  R.  C.  Church,  Presbyterian  Italian  Mission,  Afri- 
can M.  E.  Church  and  Colored  Baptist.  St.  Mark's  has  a 
large  and  well  equipped  parochial  school  building  and 
both  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Churches  have  parish 
houses.  The  Presbyterian  congregation  worships  in  its 
beautiful  chapel  building  which  adjoins  the  old  church 
building  in  the  rear.  St.  Mark's  has  the  largest  member- 
ship. Among  the  Protestant  denominations  the  Method- 
ist congregation  is  the  largest.  Several  of  the  churches 
have  excellent  choirs,  and  the  spiritual  needs  of  the 
people  are  looked  after  by  able  and  efficient  pastors. 

Local  Public  Schools. — The  local  public  schools  are  the 
best  in  the  county.  Four  school  buildings  are  in  use, 
namely:  High  School  Building,  Wood  Street;  Jefferson 
Avenue,  Washington  Street  and  Bath  Street.  The  old 
school  building  on  Wood  Street  is  held  in  reserve  and 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  327 

will  probably  be  used  some  day  for  a  Commercial  High 
School.  One  superintendent  and  twenty-seven  teachers 
are  employed  and  the  enrollment  of  scholars  is  about 
1,100.  The  names  of  the  superintendent  and  teachers 
follow:  Miss  Louise  D.  Baggs,  superintendent;  Ella  Van- 
uxem,  principal  of  high  school ;  Ella  M.  Torrey,  assistant 
principal  of  high  school ;  Rachel  Bartine,  second  assistant 
principal  of  high  school;  Clara  M.  Parks,  principal  of 
commercial  department;  Bessie  Clark,  drawing  teacher; 
Margaret  Barrett,  Alice  Lippincott,  Carrie  Mins- 
ter, Florence  Kelly,  Emma  Duckworth,  Helen  McClossie, 
Elizabeth  Betz,  Gladys  Blackwood,  Anna  Brady,  Ella 
Mathias,  Edna  Groom,  Effie  Watson,  Minnie  Rodrock, 
Bertha  Hetherington,  Beulah  Doan,  Mary  King,  Jessie 
Mansall,  Clara  Beidleman,  Mary  Wilkinson,  Sara  Mc- 
Nally,  Rhoda  Marine,  Mabel  Wettling. 

The  board  of  directors  consists  of  the  following:  First 
Ward,  Wm.  H.  Booz,  H.  S.  Rue,  Dr.  W.  C.  Le  Compte; 
Second  Ward,  E.  H.  Foster,  D.O.Taylor,  Edward  Swain; 
Third  Ward,  Jacob  Young,  John  F.  Wear,  Doron  Green ; 
Fourth  Ward,  Eugene  Barrett,  Bernard  Boyle,  John  J. 
Gallagher;  Fifth  Ward,  Wm.  V.  Leech,  Samuel  Turner, 
Charles  Dalton.  Wm.  V.  Leech  is  president,  H. 
S.  Rue,  secretary,  and  E.  H.  Foster,  treasurer.     In  June, 

1909,  a  course  in  stenography  and  typewriting  was  intro- 
duced into  the  high  school  curriculum,  and  in  September, 

1910,  a  full  commercial  course  was  installed.  The  ques- 
tion of  a  cooking  school  is  being  considered  and  will 
probably  be  put  in  operation  before  the  end  of  the  pres- 
ent school  term.  Music  has  been  taught  in  the  schools 
for  several  years  past  and  the  progress  made  by  the 
scholars  is  remarkable.  The  pupils  of  the  high  school 
have  a  social  and  literary  association  which  they  call  the 
Swastica  Society.  It  has  done  much  to  promote  social 
intercourse,  and  develop  an  interest  in  literary  work 
among  its  members,  besides  contributing  much  to  the 
happiness  of  their  school  days.  The  teachers  also  have 
attended  and  much  good  has  been  accomplished  through 
a  society  for  their  mutual  good,  which  meets  weekly. 
About  once  a  month  a  mothers'  meeting  is  held  in  one 
of  the  school  assembly  rooms.    These  meetings  are  well 


3.28  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

attended  and  much  good  has  been  accompHshed  through 
the  acquaintanceship  thus  formed  between  the  mothers 
and  teachers.  In  September,  1910,  the  ninth  grade  was 
merged  into  the  high  school,  thus  giving  to  that  depart- 
ment a  four  years'  course.  A  splendid  spirit  of  co-opera- 
tion exists  between  the  teachers  and  directors,  and  as  a 
result,  the  schools  have  reached  a  high  grade  of  efficiency 
and  usefulness. 

Newspapers. — The  town  can  boast  of  two  newspapers. 
The  Bucks  County  Gazette,  which  was  started  in  1873  ^7 
Jesse  O.  Thomas,  is  still  published  weekly.  The  Daily 
and  Weekly  Courier  are  published  by  Wm.  C.  Watson. 

Licensed  Hotels. — Six  hotels  are  licensed  in  the  town. 
The  Delaware  House,  which  was  built  in  1765,  is  still 
standing,  and  is  now  run  by  Matthew  Lincoln.  Recently 
the  old  building  has  been  greatly  improved  and  now 
presents  a  more  modern  appearance.  The  Silbert  House, 
Radcliffe  Street,  formerly  known  as  the  Cottage  Hotel, 
is  operated  by  Mrs.  Geo.  Silbert.  Charles  Rommell  is 
proprietor  of  the  Bristol  House,  at  the  corner  of  Mill 
and  Radcliffe  Streets,  opposite  the  Delaware  House.  The 
Railroad  House,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Fine,  proprietor,  is  located 
on  Mill  Street,  between  Pond  Street  and  the  railroad. 
The  Hotel  Closson,  J.  J.  Kilcoyne,  proprietor,  stands  at 
the  corner  of  Mill,  Otter  and  Bath  Streets.  Sweeney's 
Hotel  is  situated  on  Buckley  Street  near  Pine.  M.  J. 
Sweeney  is  the  proprietor. 

Divided  Into  Wards. — The  town  at  present  is  divided 
into  five  wards.  The  First  Ward  embraces  all  the  land 
between  the  canal  basin  on  the  south,  the  Delaware 
River  on  the  east,  Penn  Street  on  the  north  and  the 
canal  on  the  west.  The  Second  Ward  is  bounded  by 
Penn  Street,  the  Delaware  River,  Lafayette  Street  and 
the  canal.  The  Third  Ward  contains  all  the  land  south 
of  the  old  mill  race  and  the  canal.  The  Fourth  Ward  is 
situated  north  of  the  mill  race  and  is  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  canal  and  extends  on  the  north  and  west,  to  the 
borough  line.     The  Fifth  Ward  includes  the  land  above 


A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  329 

Lafayette  Street  to  the  borough  line,  bounded  on  the 
east  by  the  river  and  on  the  west  by  the  canal. 

Borough  Government. — The  government  of  the  bor- 
ough is  vested  in  a  Burgess  and  Town  Council  of  twenty 
members,  four  being  from  each  ward.  Henry  E.  Ancker 
is  Burgess,  and  the  members  of  Town  Council  are  as 
follows :  First  Ward,  James  Wright,  W.  K.  Fine,  George 
Strausser,  R.  B.  King;  Second  Ward,  Joseph  R.  Grundy, 
Gustav  Rathke,  George  Buckley,  Griffith  L.  Williams; 
Third  Ward,  Edward  Hoeding,  Dr.  A.  S.  Wilson,  John 
J.  Kilcoyne,  Clarence  Young;  Fourth  Ward,  Martin  A. 
Fallon,  Patrick  Dougherty,  Thomas  Hoffman,  Neil  Mulli- 
gan; Fifth  Ward,  Josiah  M.  Owens,  Abraham  Wilson, 
Louis  Spring,  Dr.  J.  de  B.  Abbott.  Josiah  M.  Owens  is 
President  of  Town  Council  and  H.  H.  H.  Poole  is  town 
clerk  and  borough  treasurer.  An  efficient  police  force  is 
in  charge  of  Charles  Saxton,  a  veteran  officer,  who  has 
been  in  active  service  over  thirty  years.  Fred  I.  Kraft 
fills  the  position  of  town  'squire  and  has  an  office  in  the 
Tabram  building,  between  the  town  house  and  Silbert's 
Hotel.  The  borough  attorneys,  Gilkeson  &  James,  occu- 
py an  office  building  next  door  to  the  Wright  Brothers* 
store,  at  the  corner  of  Radclifife  and  Market  Streets. 

Repairs  to  Streets. — The  Street  Committee  of  Town 
Council,  under  the  direction  of  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  chair- 
man, has  done  much  to  improve  the  streets  and  highways 
of  the  town.  Recently  a  new  material  known  as 
"Amiesite"  has  entered  into  the  construction  of  new 
roads.  The  roadbed  on  Otter  Street  has  been  resurfaced 
with  this  material,  making  it  the  finest  street  in  town. 
During  the  year  1910,  about  one  and  a  quarter  miles  of 
new  roads  were  built. 

Banking  Institutions. — Bristol  has  two  banking  insti- 
tutions :  The  Farmers'  National  Bank,  and  the  Bristol 
Trust  Company.  Both  bank  buildings  are  situated  on 
Radclifife  Street,  between  Market  and  Mulberry  Streets. 
Benjamin  Taylor  is  president  of  the  former  and  Charles 
E.  Scott  cashier.    Joseph  R.  Grundy  is  president  of  the 


330 


A   HISTORY  01^  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


Trust  Company  and  William  P.  McCoy  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Both  institutions  have  saving  fund  depart- 
ments which  are  well  patronized. 


BRISTOIv  TRUST  COMPANY, 


Post  Office. — The  post  office  occupies  the  first  floor  in 
the  W.  E.  Doron  building,  on  the  east  corner  of  Radcliffe 
and  Market  Streets.  E.  W.  Minster  is  post  master,  and 
his  assistants  are  Howard  Thornton,  Melvin  Jefferies  and 
John  Wright.  Two  years  ago  the  Federal  Congress 
appropriated  the  sum  of  $80,000  for  the  purpose  of  erect- 
ing a  new  post  office  building  in  Bristol.  The  site  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Pond  and  Mulberry  Streets  was  pur- 
chased, but  since  then  nothing  more  has  been  done. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH,  33! 

Extensions  to  Streets. — The  new  extension  of  Buckley 
Stre-et  from  Beaver  Street  to  Washington  Street,  has  re- 
cently been  opened,  and  most  of  the  houses  on  Prospect_ 
Street  have  been  removed  to  new  sites  on  the  west  side  of 
the  new  extension,  to  make  room  for  the  new  depot  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Arrangements  have  been' 
made  to  open  Cedar  Street,  from  the  pocket  above  Lafay- 
ette Street,  through  to  Jefferson  Avenue.  

Anchor  Yacht  Club.— The  Anchor  Yacht  Club,  com- 
posed of  owners  of  motor  boats,  has  a  clubhouse  on  the 
cliffs  above  the  Hollow  Creek.  Burgess  Henry  E. 
Ancker  is  president  and  Edward  Dougherty  secretary. 
The  annual  lawn  fete  and  regatta  of  this  club  is  one  of 
the  pleasant  events  of  the  summer  season. 

Secret  Societies. — Bristol  has  more  secret  societies,  per- 
haps, than  any  town  of  its  size  in  the  United  States.  Six 
public  halls  have  lodge  room  accommodations.  They 
are  as  follows :  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  corner  Radcliffe  and 
Walnut  Streets ;  Knights  of  Pythias  Hall,  Wood  Street; 
between  Mulberry  and  Walnut  Streets;  Mohican  Hall, 
Otter  Street  below  Bath  Street;  Mechanics'  Hall,  Post 
Office  building,  corner  Radcliffe  and  Market  Streets ;  A. 
O.  H.  Hall,  Corson  Street,  near  Buckley  Street ;  Forest- 
ers' Hall,  corner  Pond  and  Lafayette  Streets,  and  two 
private  halls,  namely.  Masonic  Hall,  on  Cedar  Street,  be- 
tween Market  and  Mulberry  Streets,  and  the  Elk^' 
Home,  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Walnut  Streets.  The 
richest  lodge  in  the  town  is  that  of  the  Junior  American 
Mechanics,  their  total  worth  being  about  v$i6,ooo.  Fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  the  prominent  orders  established  in  the 
town  : 

Masonic  Fraternity,  Order  of  Elks,  L  O.  O.  Fellows, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Imp.  Order  of  Red  Men,  Jr.  O.  U.  A. 
Mechanics,  Daughters  of  ♦America,  Degree  of  Pocahontas, 
Knights  of  Friendship,  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians, 
Knights  of  Columbus,  Shepherds  of  Bethlehem,  Order 
of  Forresters,  Brotherhood  of  America,  American  Protest- 
ant Association,  Knights  of  Mystic  Chain,  Sons  of  St. 
George,  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle,  Grand  Army  of 
23  ^ 


332  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

the   Republic,   Patriotic   Order  Sons  of  America,   Royal 
Arcanum,  Grand  Fraternity  and  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

Social  Clubs. — The  men  of  Bristol  are  fond  of  club  life, 

"  and  as  a  result,  several  clubs  are  in  a  flourishing  condi- 

'  tion.     The  ''Algonquin"  has  quarters  on  Radcliflfe  Street 

between  Walnut  and  Franklin  Streets.     The  new  Elks' 

club  house,  at  the  corner  of  Radclifife  and  Walnut  Streets, 

recently  opened,  is  magnificent  in  its  appointments  and  a 

credit  to  the  town.     The  Allemania  Verein,  or  German 

Club,  has  a  commodious  club  house  on  West  Jefferson 

Avenue  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  near  the  new  depot  of  the 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company.     The  Owl  Social,  one 

.of  the  oldest  clubs  in  the  borough,  has  quarters  in  the 

Strobele  building  on   Mill   Street,  near  the  canal.     The 

Mohican  Social  has  a  room  in  the  old  Osmond  building, 

at  the  junction  of  Mill  Street  and  the  railroad. 

Practicing  Physicians — Seven  physicians  are  practicing 
in  the  town.  Dr.  I^.  J.  Groom  is  the  oldest,  having  prac- 
ticed continuously  for  over  fifty  years.  He  resides  in  a 
commodious  residence  on  the  north  side  of  Mill  Street, 
adjoining  the  building  occupied  by  the  Child's  grocery. 
Dr.  J.  de  B.  Abbott  resides  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Radclifife  Street  and  Jefferson  Avenue.  He  takes  an 
active  interest  in  municipal  affairs  and  at  present  is 
serving  a  term  in  town  council.  He  has  also  served  a 
term  as  burgess.  Dr.  William  Martin  resides  on  Rad- 
cl-iffe  Street,  next  door  to  the  Slack  homestead,  at  the 
'Corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Franklin  Streets.  He  is  the 
local  physician  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company. 
Dr.  W.  C.  LeCompte  occupies  a  palatial  residence  on  the 
east  side  of  Radcliffe  Street,  adjoining  the  Britsol  Water 
Company.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  public  school 
affairs,  being  a  director  from  his  ward,  and  is  also  at  the 
head  of  the  health  and  sanitary  committee  appointed  by 
the  school  board.  Dr.  Frank  Lehman  succeeded  Dr.  W. 
P.  Weaver,  and  resides  on  Radcliffe  Street,  next  door  to 
the  residence  of  G.  M.  Dorrance,  at  the  corner  of  Rad- 
cliffe and  Mulberry  Streets.  Dr.  George  T.  Fox  and  Dr. 
James   Collins  are  both  young  men  who  have   recently 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  333 

located  here.  The  former  resides  on  Radcliffe  Street 
near  Mulberry,  and  the  latter  on  Bath  Street.  Dr.  A.  S. 
Wilson,  one  of  Bristol's  most  popular  physicians,  retired 
over  a  year  ago  on  account  of  failing  health,  and  is  now 
an  invalid. 

The  doctors  of  dentistry  are  Dr.  J.  T.  Stradling,  219 
Market  Street;  Dr.  C.  E.  King,  228  Mill  Street  and  Dr. 
J.  J.  Hargraves,  325  Radcliffe  Street. 

Drug  Stores. — Nine  drug  stores  are  established  here, 
being  located  as  follows :  Dr.  Howard  Pursell,  south- 
west corner  of  Mill  and  Cedar  Streets;  John  K.  Young 
and  Maurice  Watson,  on  Bath  Street;  Emil  Erthel,  on 
Mill  Street,  in  the  Hoguet  building,  near  Cedar;  Emlen 
Martin,  Radcliffe  Street,  adjoining  Presbyterian  Manse; 
A.  Fabian,  southwest  corner  of  Radcliffe  and  Mulberry 
Streets ;  Serrill  Douglass,  southeast  corner  of  Dorrance 
and  Wood  Streets ;  Harry  H.  Headley,  northwest  corner 
of  Washington  and  Wood  Streets;  John  B.  Spencer, 
northwest  corner  of  Jefferson  Avenue  and  Pond  Street. 

Moving  Pictures. — The  moving  picture  show  is  still 
a  popular  diversion.  The  first  show  was  started  in  the 
second  story  of  the  Bell  building,  at  the  corner  of  Mill 
and  Pond  Streets,  about  five  years  ago,  by  Edward 
Subers,  of  Burlington,"  N.  J.  It  attracted  large  crowds, 
but  subsequently  the  factory  inspector  declared  the 
building  unsafe,  and  the  show  was  closed.  Another  show 
was  started  in  the  old  post  office  buitding,  which  stood 
upon  the  site  of  "The  Bristol."  Joseph  Vansant,  who 
owned  the  adjoining  building,  erected  an  addition  in  the 
rear,  and  the  show  was  moved  therein.  In  the  mean- 
time, a  show  was  started  in  the  old  Colonial  Theatre  on 
Wood  Street,  by  Earl  T.  Stanley,  which  was  successful 
from  the  start  and  is  still  in  operation.  Subsequently 
two  moving  picture  houses  were  erected  on  Mill  Street, 
one  of  which  is  still  in  use. 

Burlington  Island  Park. — A  few  years  ago  a  park  was 
opened  on  Burlington  Island,  and  it  is  today  a  popular 
resort  for  picnics  from  both  up  and  down  the  river.  The 
park  is  also  much  enjoyed  by  Bristol  people.   Most  of  our 


334  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

local  Sunday  Schools  hold  their  annual  picnics  on  the 
island  and  on  Saturday  afternoons  large  numbers  of  our 
citizens  cross  over  to  the  park  and  eat  their  suppers  in 
the  grove  before  returning  home.  No  intoxicating 
liquors  are  sold,  and  this  fact  greatly  adds  to  its  popu- 
larity as  a  resort  for  Sunday  School  and  Church  picnics. 

Trolley  Service. — Two  lines  of  trolleys  run  into  the 
town,  with  their  terminals  at  the  corner  of  Bath  and 
Otter  Streets.  The  Bucks  County  Electric  Railway  Com- 
pany operates  the  line  from  Doylestown  to  Bristol,  and 
uses  Bath  Street  for  an  entrance  into  the  town.  The 
Philadelphia,  Bristol  and  Trenton  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany controls  the  line  running  from  Philadelphia  to 
Trenton  and  uses  Otter,  Mill  and  Radcliffe  Streets  in  its 
course  through  the  town.  The  trolley  tracks  are  not 
extended  over  the  tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  at 
Mill  Street,  which  necessitates  a  transfer  of  passengers 
at  that  point.  The  trolley  fare  from  Bristol  to  the  heart 
of  Philadelphia  is  20  cents,  and  from  Bristol  to  Trenton 
is  15  cents.  The  railroad  fare  is  57  cents  to  Philadelphia, 
or  80  cents  for  an  excursion  ticket.  The  boats  on  the 
river  charge  15  cents  each  way  to  Philadelphia,  or  25 
cents  excursion  rate.  The  rate  by  trolley  to  Doylestown 
is  48  cents.  The  trolley  lines  are  now  carrying  freight 
and  greater  development  along  this  line  is  expected  in  the 
near  future. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. — Henry  Clay  Beatty 
Post  No.  73,  G.  A.  R.,  which  was  organized  shortly  after 
the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  is  still  in  existence,  but  its 
ranks  are  being  rapidly  decimated  by  death,  as  the  years 
pass  by.  Each  Decoration  Day  still  finds  them  engaged 
in  their  labor  of  love,  when  the  graves  of  their  fallen 
comrades  are  decked  with  flowers.  A  few  days  before 
Decoration  Day  each  year,  a  public  memorial  service  is 
held  in  the  Methodist  Church,  and  is  largely  attended  by 
the  citizens.  During  recent  years,  a  strong  attachment 
has  sprung  up  between  the  veterans  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and 
the  children  of  the  local  public  schools.  Each  year  the 
veterans  are  the  guests  of  the  children  at  their  annual 
Washington-Lincoln  celebration,  and  the  reception  they 


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A    HISTORY   OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  335 

receive  at  the  hands  of  the  children  is  one  of  the  memor- 
able events  in  the  current  history  of  the  town.  Last  year 
the  veterans  invited  the  children  to  their  memorial  serv- 
ice, and  the  latter  sang  several  patriotic  selections,  which 
greatly  increased  the  interest  in  the  occasion.  But  the 
ravages  of  time  are  making  great  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  the 
veterans  and  it  will  be  only  a  little  while  when  there  will 
not  be  a  single  answer  to  the  roll  call.  But  the  veterans 
need  have  no  fear  of  being  forgotten.  With  the  large 
number  of  patriotic  boys  and  girls  growing  up  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  town,  their  willing  hands  will  take 
up  the  work,  when  the  veterans  lay  it  down  for  the  last 
time,  and  thus  continue  the  work  of  love  down  through 
the  coming  years. 

Dawning  of  a  New  Bristol. — On  Monday  evening,  De- 
cember 12,  1910,  the  Street  Committee  of  Town  Council 
introduced  a  resolution  into  the  session  of  council,  pro- 
viding for  the  construction  of  a  sewer  system  and  a  new 
water  works,  and  the  issue  of  two  series  of  bonds,  one 
series  in  the  sum  of  $100,000,  for  the  contruction  of  the 
new  water  works,  and  the  other  in  the  sum  of  $63,000  for 
the  erection  of  a  sewage  and  disposal  plant.  On  Monday 
evening,  January  10,  1911,  the  ordinance  was  passed  by 
a  vote  of  14  to  2,  and  it  is  expected  that  work  on  both 
projects  will  begin  this  summer. 

At  the  meeting  of  Town  Council,  held  on  Monday  eve- 
ning, December  12,  1910,  Councilman  Joseph  R.  Grundy 
proposed  to  present  to  the  borough  the  handsome  sum  of 
$25,000  in  cash,  to  be  used  in  making  certain  improve- 
ments to  the  highways  approaching  the  site  for  the  new 
railroad  station,  in  addition  to  his  previously  announced 
offer  to  deed  several  acres  of  land  surrounding  the  station 
site,  to  the  town  for  park  purposes.  The  improvements 
referred  to  are  the  widening  of  Jefferson  Avenue  and 
Beaver  Dam  Road,  each  to  sixty  feet,  the  construction  of 
a  new  bridge  at  the  crossing  of  Beaver  Dam  Road  and 
the  canal,  and  the  proper  lighting  of  the  streets  and  ave- 
nues which  will  furnish  the  main  approaches  to  the  new 
station.  Surely  the  dawning  of  a  greater  and  better 
Bristol  seems  to  be  at  hand. 


336  A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


APPENDIX. 


Being  a  Collection  of   Additional   Items   Obtained  Too 
Late  for  Insertion  in  Their  Chronological  Position. 


Items  From  Diary  of  C.  M.  Foster. — May  10,  1867: 
The  tide  in  the  Delaware  River  was  the  highest  since 
1841.  Passengers  on  the  steamboats  were  taken  off  in 
small  boats. 

November  9,  1867 :  The  Catholic  Church,  a  stone  build- 
ing which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  church,  was 
burned. 

May  30,  1868:  The  new  steamboat  Twilight  made  her 
first  trip  to  Bristol,  taking  the  place  of  Pilot  Boy. 

November  23,  1868:  The  old  freight  house  on  Pond 
Street  was  burned. 

July  20,  1869 :  Wm.  K.  Kelly's  foundry  on  Wood  Street 
was  burned.  The  wind  carried  the  sparks  up  Wood 
Street,  setting  fire  to  the  roofs  of  the  old  Wood  Street 
school  house  and  the  old  Methodist  Church,  now  Pythian 
Hall.  The  fire,  however,  was  quickly  extinguished  with 
buckets  of  water,  with  but  little  damage  to  either 
building. 

November  11,  1870:  A  locomotive  boiler  exploded,  a 
part  of  which  was  carried  over  to  the  schoolyard,  injuring 
the  building. 

May  9,  1873  •  Charles  Michener  was  accidently  struck 
and  killed  by  a  bat  while  playing  baseball. 

December  11,  1874:  The  standpipe  at  the  water  works 
was  raised  into  position  and  a  string  of  American  flags 
was  hoisted  to  the  top.  On  February  i,  1875,  the  stand- 
pipe  was  filled  with  water  for  the  first  time,  and  on  Feb- 


A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL   BOROUGH.  337 

ruary  13,  the  fire  plug  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street 
was  given  its  first  trial. 

April  12,  1875  :  A  canal  boat  loaded  with  coal  for  the 
John  A.  Warner,  broke  her  lines  on  account  of  the  very 
low  tide,  and  slid  out  into  the  river,  striking  the  Warner, 
below  the  water  line,  breaking  a  hole  in  her  iron  plates 
and  causing  the  water  to  rush  into  her  lower  cabin.  The 
hole  was  temporarily  stopped  with  cushions  from  the 
seats.  The  fire  company  was  called  out  to  help  pump 
the  water  out  and  with  the  aid  of  the  boat's  engine,  kept 
her  from  sinking  until  Philadelphia  was  reached,  where' 
she  was  hauled  out  on  the  dry  dock  and  a  patch  put  on 
the  broken  part.     She  resumed  her  trips  next  day. 

September  18,  1875 :  The  first  hook  and  ladder  truck 
of  America  Hose,  Hook  &  Ladder  Company,  No.  2.  Avas 
housed  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 

January  i,  1876:  The  Centennial  was  ushered  in  at 
12  o'clock  P.  M.,  with  fireworks  and  ringing  of  bells. 

June  5,  1876:  The  new  steamboat,  Columbia,  made  her 
initial  trip  to  Bristol. 

September  10,  1877  •  ^  shock  of  earthquake  was  felt  in 
Bristol. 

How  Otter  Street  Received  Its  Name. — Otter  Street 
and  Otter  Creek  derived  their  name  from  John  Otter, 
who  owned  the  land  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek. 

The  Bristol  Library. — The  Bristol  Library  was  organ- 
ized April  2,  1878,  with  Rev.  Jas.  H.  Mason  Knox,  D.  D., 
president;  A.  Weir  Gilkeson,  secretary,  and  Dr.  G.  W. 
Adams,  treasurer.  The  library  was  opened  in  Washing- 
ton Hall,  with  three  hundred  and  twenty-seven  volumes, 
which  number  has  since  been  increased  to  several  thou- 
sand. The  library  is  stationed  at  present  in  the  old  Pres- 
byterian Church  building.  Miss  Esther  Lawrence  is 
librarian. 

How  Radcliffe  Street  was  Named. — It  is  supposed  that 
Radcliffe  Street  was  originally  named  after  a  suburbal 
portion  of  Bristol,  England,  known  as  RedclifiFe.  The 
river  Severn  divides  the  heights  back  of  the  town  into 


338  A    HISTORY   01^   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

two  parts,  one  of  which  is  called  ''Clifton  Downs,"  and 
the  other,  "Redcliflfe."  One  of  the  highest  suspension 
bridges  in  the  world  connects  the  two  suburbs.  It  is 
thought  that  with  the  passing  of  the  years,  the  name 
Radclifife  superceded  that  of  Redclifife,  the  former  being  a 
corruption  of  the  latter. 

How  St.  James'  P.  E.  Church  Extended  the  Boundaries 
of  Its  Land. — Although  it  has  been  generally  understood, 
that  Anthony  Burton  gave  to  the  St.  James'  P.  E.  Church 
the  ground  embraced  within  its  present  boundaries,  G. 
Morris  Dorrance  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  the 
part  donated  to  the  church  by  Burton  only  comprised  a 
strip  through  the  present  grounds,  upon  which  the  church 
edifice  now  stands.  The  various  extensions  to  the  land 
were  purchased  by  the  church,  as  the  deeds  in  Mr.  Dor- 
rance's  possession  show.  At  one  time  it  appears  to  have 
been  the  intention  of  the  church  to  purchase  all  the  land 
between  Wood  and  Cedar  Streets,  up  as  far  as  Franklin 
Street,  but  lack  of  funds  prevented  the  consummation  of 
the  plan.  In  1856  the  Baptist  burial  ground  in  the  rear 
of  the  present  church  building  was  bought  and  annexed. 

More  About  the  de  Onis  Marriage  by  Proxy. — During 
the  fashionable  watering  place  period,  mention  is  made  of 
the  marriage  by  proxy  of  the  eldest  daughter  of  Don  de 
Onis,  the  Spanish  Minister,  to  a  Spanish  army  officer. 
From  the  columns  of  the  Bucks  County  Gazette  the  fol- 
lowing additional  information  has  been  obtained  : 

,  "The  time  of  the  wedding  had  been  fixed  to  take  place 
at  her  home  here  on  a  set  date.  About  the  time  the  pros- 
pective groom  was  to  leave  Spain  to  fulfill  his  engage- 
ment, the  government  ordered  his  regiment  on  duty  in 
active  service  and  he  could  not  be  present.  Then  oc- 
curred the  strangest  wedding  ceremony  ever  performed. 
It  was  done  by  proxy.  The  like  had  never  been  witnessed 
in  this  country.  The  bride's  father  represented  his  in- 
tended son-in-law  and  she  was  represented  by  his  sister 
in  Spain.  The  marriage  took  place  at  high  twelve  in  both 
countries.  Father  Hog-an,  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Phil- 
adelphia, performed  the  ceremony  in  Bristol." 


A   HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 


339 


'"Jt  was  a  grand  affair  and  never  before  were  so  many 
•grenadiers  of  Spanish  blood  in  Bristol  at  one  time.  Feast- 
ing and  dancing  were  kept  up  till  a  late  hour  in  the  eve- 
ning. The  affair  caused  much  criticism  among  the  ladies 
in  Bristol.  Some  thought  such  a  marriage  would  not  be 
legal." 

Description  of  the  First  Episcopal  Church. — A  descrip- 
tion of  the  first  Episcopal  Church,  erected  in  1712,  as 
given  by  G.  Morris  Dorrance,  is  as  follows : 

''The  building  that  Burton,  Rowland,  the  De  Norman- 
-dies  and  others  erected  was  one  story  high  and  was  com- 


FIRST    ST.   JAMES'    P.    E.    CHURCH. 


posed  of  brick  and  stone.  The  nave  of  the  church  con- 
tained but  ten  pews.  In  the  walls  on  either  side  were 
two  small  windows.  In  the  chancel  were  a  communion 
table,  a  communion  set  purchased  by  the  Commissioners 
of  Queen  Anne's  Bounty  and  on  which  were  wrought  the 
coat  of  arms  of  Anne,  and  a  reading  desk.  The  pulpit 
was  in  the  rear  and  underneath  it  stood  the  chair  of  the 
'clarke.'    The  first  pew,  directly  under  the  reading  desk, 


340  A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

was  reserved  by  the  grant  to  the  use  of  Anthony  Burton 
and  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever.  A  small  spire  rose 
above  the  nave.  In  1739  it  was  by  the  vestry  'agreed  that 
ye  present  church  wardens  build  at  the  back  of  ye  church 
between  ye  north  windows,  a  vestry  room  eleven  feet 
wide  and  sixteen  feet  back,  one  story  high,  and  ye  walls 
of  brick  and  to  build  a  chimney  in  the  north  end  and  all 
other  conveniences  that  they  may  think  necessary  and  to* 
repair  ye  church  windows  and  shutters  and  such  other 
things  that  are  needful  to  be  done.'  " 

The    Beginning   of   the    Public    School    System. — The 

"Act"  creating  the  public  school  system  of  Pennsylvania, 
passed  the  Legislature  in  1834.  The  first  board  of  school' 
directors  in  Bristol,  elected  under  this  act,  was  in  1835.. 
and  the  first  public  school  building  was  erected  on  Wood". 
Street  in  1837. 

A  Whale  in  the  Delaware. — In  the  old  records  it  is 
recorded  by  Phineas  Pemberton,  that  in  1688  a  whale  was 
seen  in  the  Delaware  river  as  far  up  as  the  falls. 

"Weston"  Passes  Through  Bristol. — From  an  old  citi- 
zen we  learn  that  "Weston,"  the  renowned  "walker,"* 
passed  through  Bristol  in  1861,  while  on  his  way  to 
Washington,  D.  C,  to  witness  the  inauguration  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln.  He  stopped  for  a  brief  period  at  the  Rail- 
road House,  then  kept  by  William  Early.  When  he  re- 
sumed his  journey  he  was  met  at  the  canal  bridge  by  Jos- 
eph Tomlinson,  a  well-known  resident  of  Bristol,  who 
was  noted  for  his  speed  as  a  walker.  Down  Otter  Street 
the  pair  went  at  a  rapid  pace,  side  by  side,  but  when  the 
buttonwood  trees  at  the  sand  hole  were  reached,  Weston 
turned  to  Tomlinson  and  said :  "Well,  old  man,  you  are  a 
pretty  good  walker,  but  I've  got  to  leave  you,"  whereupon 
he  made  a  spurt  and  to  the  great  surprise  and  mortifica- 
tion of  Tomlinson,  was  soon  far  in  the  lead.  Tomlinson 
stopped  at  the  Otter  Creek  bridge.  "Uncle"  Josie  Tom- 
linson is  remembered  today  by  many  of  our  citizens,  and 
if  "Weston"  could  surpass  him  in  speed  as  a  walker,  all 
agree  that  he  must  have  been  far  above  the  average. 


A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  34I 

Leasy's  Point  a  Noted  Place. — Leasy's  Point,  men- 
tioned in  the  early  part  of  this  history,  was  situated  on 
the  New  Jersey  side,  at  the  junction  of  Assiscunk  Creek 
and  the  Delaware  River,  and  was  a  noted  place.  In  1668, 
Governor  Carteret  granted  permission  to  Peter  Jegou  to 
take  up  land  there  on  condition  that  he  would  settle  and 
erect  a  house  of  entertainment  for  travelers.  This  he 
agreed  to  do,  and  at  the  point  he  opened  the  first  tavern 
on  the  river,  a  famous  hostelry  in  its  day.  When  Gov- 
ernor Lovelace  visited  the  Delaware  in  1672,  it  will  be 
remembered  that  Captain  Garland  was  sent  forward  to 
Jegou's  house  to  make  arrangements  for  his  accommoda- 
tion, and  persons  were  appointed  to  meet  him  there.  The 
governor  crossed  at  this  point.  George  Fox,  who  visited 
the  Delaware  the  same  year,  likewise  crossed  at  Leasy's 
Point  into  Pennsylvania  and  thence  continued  on  to  the 
lower  settlements.  The  house  was  subsequently  called 
Point  House,  to  which  Governor  Burnet  opened  one  of 
his  vistas  from  Burlington  Island. 

More  About  the  Willis  (Buckley)  House. — In  Davis' 
History  of  Bucks  County,  we  find  that  the  old  ''Willis 
House,"  which  stood  on  Radclif¥e  Street  where  Halzell's 
and  Nesbit's  houses  now  stand,  was  once  owned  by 
Ennion  Williams,  a  thrifty  cooper  and  baker,  and  a 
leader  in  Falls  Meeting,  who  married  Mary  Hugg  in  1725. 
It  is  related  of  him  that  while  in  possession  of  the  Willis 
House,  he  set  some  men  at  work  to  dig  the  foundation 
for  an  addition  to  the  dwelling.  Hearing  the  pick  of  one 
of  them  strike  a  hard  substance  that  did  not  sound  like  a 
stone,  he  threw  the  laborers  some  change  and  told  them 
to  get  something  to  drink.  When  they  returned  they  saw 
the  print  of  an  iron  pot  in  the  earth.  He  said  he  had 
changed  his  mind  about  building,  and  discharged  them. 
After  this  he  rapidly  grew  wealthy.  He  subsequently 
built  the  front  portion  to  the  Willis  House,  putting  in 
the  west  end  the  letters  and  figures,  "E.  W.,  1735,"  in 
blue  brick  .  This  house  was  afterward  in  the  Buckley 
family,  and  was  used  as  a  bake  house  for  the  Continental 
soldiers  while  encamped  here  during  the  Revolutionary 
War.  It  was  also  to  this  house  that  Lafayette  was  taken 
after  being  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine. 


342  A   HISTORY   O^   BRISTOL.  BOROUGH. 

Showing  Dates  of  Ward  Divisions. — Bristol  was  di- 
vided into  three  wards  in  1878.  In  1890  the  Third  Ward 
was  sub-divided  and  the  Fourth  Ward  was  formed  from 
the  division  above  the  mill  race.  The  Second  Ward  was 
sub-divided  in  1905,  thus  bringing  into  existence  a  new 
ward  known  as  the  Fifth,  which  embraced  the  land  above 
Lafayette  Street  to  Adam's  Hollow  Creek,  and  bounded 
on  the  east  by  the  Delaware  River  and  on  the  west  by 
the  canal. 

Bristol's  Oldest  Manufacturer. — Of  that  coterie  of  men, 
who,  following  the  period  of  the  Civil  War,  aided  in  the 
industrial  development  of  Bristol,  Ex-Burgess  Thomas 
B.  Harkins,  is  the  only  one  residing  here  today.  Joshua 
Peirce,  to  whom  Bristol  owes  much  as  its  industrial 
pioneer,  is  now  a  resident  of  Taconia,  Washington. 
Charles  E.  Scheide  is  in  New  York.  William  H.  Grundy, 
Charles  Peirce,  James  M.  Slack,  Thomas  Hughes,  Sam- 
uel Appleton,  Frederick  Nevegold,  Joeph  Sherman,  Fran- 
cis Fenimore  and  William  Wilson  are  all  deceased.  Mr. 
Harkins  started  in  the  foundry  business  in  Bristol  in 
1871,  and  is  presenting  to  his  friends,  this  year,  191 1,  a 
neat  souvenir  nickle  plated  horseshoe,  in  celebration  of 
the  fortieth  anniversary  of  the  beginning  of  his  business 
career. 

Bristol's  Oldest  Citizens. — William  H.  Booz,  of  Cedar 
Street  is  the  oldest  native  born  citizen  residing  in  Bristol, 
having  been  born  in  1828,  and  with  the  exception  of  one 
year,  has  resided  here  his  whole  lifetime.  Mrs.  Margaret 
Stetler,  who  resides  with  her  niece,  Mrs.  Joel  Sooy,  on 
Wood  Street,  is  the  oldest  person  in  Bristol,  being  in  the 
ninety-sixth  year  of  her  age. 

A  Reference  to  the  Vanzant  Family. — Many  persons 
have  noticed  the  old  willow  trees,  which  stand  near  the 
lock  tender's  house  in  the  rear  of  the  Bristol  Mills,  now 
occupied  by  Howard  Sigafoos,  but  never  dreamed  that 
an  interesting  piece  of  history  was  attached  thereto.  Back 
in  the  early  forties  of  the  last  century,  this  house  was 
occupied  by  the  late  Abel  Vanzant,  who  was  a  bank  boss 


A    HISTORY   OF   BRiSTOIv  BOROUGH.  343 

and  also  had  charge  of  the  lock.  When  his  first  son,  who 
is  now  our  well-known  citizen,  Joseph  H.  Vanzant,  was 
born,  the  happy  father  planted  a  Avillow  tree  in  honor 
of  the  event.  Upon  the  birth  of  each  succeeding  child, 
the  father  planted  another  tree,  so  that  the  trees  which 
now  stand  are  living  reminders  of  the  children  of  Abel 
Vanzant. 

Mrs.  Mary  Vanzant,  the  wife  of  Abel  Vanzant,  was 
a  sister  to  School  Director  William  Booz.  Over  her 
grave  in  the  Bristol  Cemetery,  on  a  beautiful  monument 
erected  by  her  son,  Joseph  H.  Vanzant,  is  this  very  in- 
teresting inscription : 

''When  General  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  America's  zeal- 
ous supporter  and  the  esteemed  friend  of  General  George 
Washington,  passed  through  Bristol,  September  4,  1824, 
on  his  second  tour  of  the  United  State,  the  deceased  was 
one  of  the  flower  girls  who  helped  to  decorate  the 
triumphal  arch,  under  which  the  general  passed,  upon 
his  entrance  into  the  town  at  the  old  hollow  bridge,  Rad- 
cliffe  Street." 

Earliest  Settlement  in  Bucks  County. — General  Davis 
in  his  history  of  Bucks  County  claims  that  about  1624-25 
the  W^est  India  Company  established  a  trading  house  on 
a  small  island,  called  "Vurhulsten  Island,"  after  William 
Vurhulst,  director  of  New  Netherlands,  near  the  west 
shore  of  the  Delaware,  just  below  Trenton  Falls,  and 
located  upon  it  three  or  four  families  of  French  Walloons. 
The  post  was  broken  up  about  1627,  and  the  Walloons 
returned  to  New  York,  but  a  small  vessel  was  retained  in 
the  river  to  keep  up  the  fur  trade.  The  island  was  oppo- 
site Morrisville,  and  the  settlement  upon  it  was  undoubt- 
edly the  earliest  in  this  county  and  state. 

Showing  the  Origin  of  the  African  M.   E.   Church. — 

John  Price,  the  well-known  barber  on  Otter  Street,  in  a 
historical  sketch,  written  several  years  ago,  claims  that 
the  Bristol  African  M.  E.  Church  was  organized  by  Rev. 
George  Longstreth,  in  the  house  of  Sister  Harriet  Ward, 
which  house  stood  between  the  old  mill  race  and  the 
railroad,  north  of  the  Mill  Street  crossing.     Services  were 


344  A   HISTORY   OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH. 

held  here  regularly  for  some  time,  until  the  congrega- 
tion outgrew  the  accommodations,  when  the  meetings 
were  transferred  to  the  old  cooper  shop  at  the  foot  of 
Wood  Street.  About  this  time  (1847),  R^v.  James  Ross 
became  the  pastor  of  the  little  flock  and  his  work  was 
very  successful.  The  church  on  Pond  Street  was  dedi- 
cated by  Bishop  Brown,  and  at  the  same  time  placed  in 
the  Philadelphia  District.  Subsequently  Bristol  and 
Bensalem  become  one  charge.  The  church  removed  to 
its  present  quarters  in  1883,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Cuff.     Bishop  Brown  also  dedicated  this  new  edifice. 

Conductor  William  Bailey  and  "Bailey's  Line/' — Back 
in  the  days  when  railroading  was  in  its  infancy,  there 
came  a  man  to  Bristol,  to  work  in  the  provision  and 
clothing  store  of  Cone  &  Tyler,  whose  name  was  Wil- 
liam Bailey.  So  closely  did  Bailey  become  associated 
with  this  period  of  the  town's  history,  that  this  work 
would  be  incomplete  without  some  reference  to  his  name. 
After  a  time  he  found  employment  with  the  railroad,  and 
became  the  conductor  of  the  ''early  and  late"  accommoda- 
tion line,  running  between  Trenton  and  Philadelphia. 
This  train,  tried  as  an  experiment,  soon  proved  a  success. 
Such  an  arrangement  being  long  needed,  the  traveling 
public  generally  expressed  their  thanks  and  commended 
the  company  for  the  favor.  The  train  was  known  as 
"Bailey's  Line."  Some  *'wag"  composed  the  following- 
verses  and  dedicated  them  to  Conductor  Bailey: 

Long  have  I  known  our  Yankee  friend, 

Who  now  is  often  heard 
Cry  "all  aboard,"  then  "go  ahead," 

"This,    this    train's    the    early   bird." 

He's  always  in  a  pleasant  mood, 

Nor  does  he  trouble  dread; 
But  strives  to  please  his  passengers, 

Who  like  the  "go  ahead." 

The  people  who  may  ride  with  him 

Need  never  fear  delays, 
Because  as  soon  as  time  is  up, 

'Tis  "go  ahead."  he  says. 


A   HISTORY  O^   BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  34$ 

Although  two  mornings  in  each  week, 

His  train  is  somewhat  late; 
But  even  then  he  "goes  ahead," 

In  spite  of  all   the  freight. 

The  company  did  very  well 

In   making  such   selection; 
For  socially,  friend  Bailey  has, 

A  very  wide  connection. 

"He  is  a  man  whom  I  do  like," 

Are  words   which   I   hear  daily; 
And  then  because  he  "goes  ahead," 

There's  many  go  with  Bailey. 

Not  only  is  he  much  beloved, 

By  mankind  not  a  few; 
But  he  is  held  in  high  esteem 

By  many  ladies,  too. 

"How  handy  is  this  early  train," 

The  masses  do  exclaim. 
And  with  Conductor  Bailey, 

There's  no  room  to  complain. 

National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Committee  Visits  Bristol. 

— Saturday,  June  3,  191 1,  was  a  *'big"  day  in  the  history 
of  Bristol.  It  was  known  that  the  Rivers  and  Harbors 
Committee  of  the  Federal  Congress  would  pass  down  the 
river  in  the  afternoon,  on  their  trip  from  New  York  to 
Philadelphia  via  of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal  and 
the  Delaware  River,  for  the  purpose  of  viewing  the  sec- 
tion through  which  the  proposed  ship  canal  should  be 
constructed,  which,  with  the  deepening  of  the  Delaware 
River,  will  connect  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  Through 
the  eiiforts  of  ''The  Daily  Courier,"  the  committee  agreed 
to  stop  at  Bristol  a  short  time,  to  permit  the  town  to 
show  its  respect  and  interest  in  the  deeper  waterways 
project.  The  "M.  S.  Quay,"  which  carried  the  Congres- 
sional Committee,  tied  up  at  the  Market  Street  wharf, 
where  a  committee  of  citizens  went  on  board.  Assembly- 
man Franklin  Gilkeson  addressed  the  committee  and  his 
welcome  was  responded  to  by  Congressman  Stephen  M. 
Sparkman,  of  Florida,  chairman  of  the  committee.  It 
was  not  expected  that  the  various  members  of  the  com- 
mittee would  speak,  but  to  the  surprise  of  all,  Congress- 


346  A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

man  G.  Hampton  Moore,  who  had  planned  the  trip, 
turned  to  the  large  crowd  gathered  on  the  wharf,  and 
after  explaining  to  them  the  meaning  of  the  trip,  said  he 
felt  it  was  only  fair  that  they  should  meet  the  members 
of  the  committee.  Addresses  were  then  made  by  the  fol- 
lowing Congressmen,  members  of  the  Rivers  and  Har- 
bors Committee :  Judge  Geo.  W.  Taylor,  of  Alabama : 
Chas.  G.  Edwards,  of  Georgia ;  J.  Edwin  Ellerbe,  of  South 
Carolina ;  Daniel  A.  Driscoll,  of  New  York ;  W.  E.  Hum- 
phreys, of  Washington ;  Michael  Donohoe,  of  Philadel- 
phia. An  address  was  also  made  by  Joseph  E.  Ramsdell, 
president  of  the  National  River  and  Harbors  Congress. 
When  the  ''Quay"  left  the  wharf,  it  was  escorted  down 
the  river  for  a  short  distance  by  the  boats  of  the  Anchor 
Yacht  Club.  The  houses  along  the  river  were  decorated 
with  flags  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  and  when  the  *'Quay" 
came  in  sight  of  Bristol,  the  whistles  on  all  the  mills  be- 
gan to  blow.  The  demonstration,  informal  though  it 
was,  made  a  profound  impression  upon  the  members  of 
the  Congressional  Committee. 

More  Reminiscences  of  By-Gone  Days. — Back  in  1840- 
50,  when  the  canal  trade  was  at  its  height,  a  large  store 
was  kept  near  the  lock  back  of  the  Bristol  Mills,  by  the 
Allen  Brothers.  In  the  year  1850  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  the  loss  being  heavy.  Below  the  Allen  store  was 
another,  which  was  operated  by  Josiah  Dilks.  Isaac 
Winder,  the  father  of  our  Avell-known  townsman,  Jacob 
M.  Winder,  was  a  clerk  in  this  store.  Back  of  the  prop- 
erty on  Mill  Street,  now  occupied  by  Dr.  C.  E.  King, 
along  the  canal  basin,  was  a  store  kept  by  John  Aber- 
nethy.  He  dealt  in  old  iron  and  being  the  only  one  in 
that  business,  the  boatmen  all  knew  him  and  used  to 
call  him  "Rowby,"  as  a  nickname.  In  an  old  house  at 
the  foot  of  Mill  Street,  John  Scull  opened  an  oyster 
saloon.  Opposite  to  Scull's  saloon  on  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  Phillip  Winter's  boat  house,  was  a  stone  dwelling- 
occupied  by  Joshua  Osmond.  At  the  foot  of  his  yard 
would  often  lay  fifty  or  more  canal  boats  loaded  with  coal 
awaiting  orders.  One  day  a  well-known  young  man  with 
several  companions,  Avas  playing  a  game  of  cards  on  one 


i  A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOL  B0RoU6lt;  347 

of  the  canal  boats.  A  row  occurred  and  when  the  young 
man's  body  was  found  next  day,  from  marks  upon  his 
head,  he  was  supposed  to  have  been  murdered  by  being 
struck  by  some  hard  instrument.  Great  excitement  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  town.  Several  arrests  were  madcy 
but  no  incriminating  evidence  could  be  found  and  thg 
matter  remains  a  mystery  to  this  day. 

Above  Wood  Street,  along  the  basin,  stood  two  cooper 
shops,  one  of  which  was  operated  by  William  and  Robert 
Sanderson.  One  of  the  old  cooper  shops  is  still  standing, 
being  occupied  as  a  storehouse  by  Wm.  M.  Downing. 
The  other  cooper  shop  was  used  for  some  time  by  the 
colored  people,  as  a  place  of  worship.  When  their  quar- 
terly meeting  time  arrived,  the  colored  brethren  and  sis- 
ters from  all  the  surrounding  country-side  would  flock 
into  Bristol,  and  their  jubilee  hymns  could  be  heard  for 
squares  away.  Hundreds  of  the  white  brethren  were  also 
attracted  and  when  the  collection  hats  were  passed 
around,  the  ministers  would  give  the  white  brethren  to 
understand  that  nothing  but  silver  would  be  accepted. 
As  a  result,  the  offerings  were  some  times  exceedingly 
large.  It  was  in  these  meetings  that  the  Bristol  African 
Methodist  Church  enjoyed  a  period  of  rapid  development. 
The  only  living  colored  person  in  Bristol  today,  who  was 
identified  with  those  meetings  in  the  old  cooper  shop,  is 
Mrs.  Henry  Blake,  the  aged  servant,  now  in  the  employ 
of  Emil  Erthal,  the  Mill  Street  druggist. 

A  few  recollections  of  Mill  Street  during  this  period 
may  prove  interesting  reading.  The  old  brick  mansion  on 
the  south  side,  near  the  railroad  crossing,  now  occupied 
by  Maria  Barton,  was  then  tenanted  by  Joseph  Warner 
and  later  by  Jesse  W.  Knight,  and  still  later  by  Ellwood 
Doron.  Where  Jacob  M.  Winder  now  conducts  a  bot- 
tling establishment  at  the  corner  of  Mill  and  Pond  Streets, 
was  a  vacant  lot  used  as  a  chicken  yard  by  a  Mr.  Louder- 
bough,  who  lived  in  the  adjoining  residence.  Aunt  Patty 
Cooper  lived  for  a  time  in  the  house  next  to  Mr.  Louder- 
bough  and  the  house  now  used  as  a  tin  store  by  William 
Girton,  was  occupied  by  Robert  Hall,  a  well-known  tailor 
of  that  day.  Mr.  Hall's  youngest  son,  Samuel,  was  mur- 
dered at  New  Brunswick,  where  he  was  employed  in  a 
24 


348  A   HISTORY  O^  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Store,  by  another  boy,  who  stabbed  him  in  the  heart.  The 
boy  was  found  guilty  of  manslaughter  and  sentenced  to 
life  imprisonment. 

Wm.  Sanderson,  who  conducted  the  cooper  shop  previ- 
ously referred  to,  occupied  the  store  property  now  used 
by  W.  M.  Downing  and  the  house  adjoining,  now  the 
home  of  Mr.  Downing,  was  occupied  by  Gilbert  Tomlin- 
son,  one  of  Bristol's  well-known  and  respected  citizens. 
Mr.  Tomlinson  had  two  sons,  Thomas  and  Collin,  and 
a  monument  marks  the  spot  where  the  remains  of  the 
former  lie  buried  in  St.  James'  churchyard.  Mr.  Tom- 
linson conducted  a  coal  wharf  and  his  offices  were  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  water  works.  In  the  property  now  occu- 
pied by  Robert  Pearson,  lived  a  man  named  William 
Bray,  who  was  a  dealer  in  stoves  and  had  his  workshop 
in  the  cellar.  Next  door,  where  Geo.  L.  Horn  resided  for 
many  years,  was  a  bakery  conducted  by  George  Vanzajit. 
This  was  one  of  the  first  bakeries  in  the  town  and  its 
proprietor  built  up  a  large  business.  Mr.  Vanzant  had 
five  sons,  all  of  whom  are  dead.  His  grandson,  Jos.  H. 
Vanzant,  is  the  only  surviving  member  of  the  Vanzant 
family. 

Next  door  to  the  Vanzant  home,  was  another  bakery, 
which  sat  back  from  the  street.  It  was  conducted  by 
Owen  Donnell.  On  the  lot  in  front  were  two  small  dwell- 
ings, one  occupied  by  Edward  Bernasco,  a  harness  maker, 
and  the  other  by  Jonathan  Lovett,  a  shoemaker.  Mr. 
Bernasco's  son  now  carries  on  a  large  harness-making 
"business  at  Burlington,  N.  J.  The  property  at  the  west 
-corner  of  Mill  and  Wood  Streets,  was  occupied  by  the 
Allen  Brothers,  dealers  in  general  merchandise.  The 
names  of  the  brothers  were  George,  Goforth  and  Joseph. 
On  the  opposite  corner,  now  occupied  by  the  residence 
and  shoe  store  of  Phillip  Winter,  was  a  little  frame  build- 
ing occupied  by  Kinsey  Evans,  who  conducted  a  stove 
and  tin  business.  In  the  rear  of  this  building,  near  the 
canal  basin,  John  Holt  and  Robert  Holt  carried  on  the 
blacksmith  business.  Adjoining  the  store  of  Mr.  Evans, 
was  a  variety  shop  kept  by  a  well-known  citizen  named 
William  Sharp.  He  was  more  familiarly  known  as  "Dad- 
dy" Sharp.  Adjoining  his  building  was  the  quaint  old 
printing  office  owned  by  William  Bache,  Bristol's  pioneer 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  349 

newspaper  man.  It  was  from  this  shop  that  "Bache's  In- 
dex" was  issued  in  1861.  In  the  old  buildings  now  owned 
by  McMullen  Brothers,  lived  a  French  shoemaker  named 
Doerer,  and  Isaac  Clemons,  who  was  also  a  shoemaker. 

On  the  site  of  the  McMullen  residence,  somewhat  to 
the  rear,  stood  a  one-story  frame  building  owned  and 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Patty  Crosby.  Her  grandson,  Alfred, 
was  called  by  the  boys,  "Fourteen  Apple  Dumplings  Al." 
It  was  said  that  his  grandmother  once  baked  fourteen 
apple  dumplings,  and  Alfred  coming  home  from  a  long 
tramp  in  the  country,  sat  down  and  devoured  them  all, 
hence  his  nickname,  ''Fourteen  Apple  Dumplings 
Al."  The  McMullen  homestead  was  erected  on 
the  front  of  the  lot  by  Jacob  Hamilton,  whose  wife 
carried  on  the  millinery  business.  The  Roper 
property  was  occupied  by  Alexander  Sturdevant  and 
family.  Mr.  Sturdevant  had  two  sons,  Elwood 
and  Charles.  He  was  a  collector  for  the  Lehigh  Coal 
Company,  and  his  old  office  has  been  used  since  as  an 
office  for  the  marble  yard  at  the  foot  of  Mill  Street.  The 
two  buildings  now  owned  by  Samuel  Whitaker,  were 
erected  originally  as  a  carpenter  shop  for  John  Town- 
send.  The  property  later  came  into  possession  of  the 
Brelsford  sisters,  who  reconstructed  the  building  by 
turning  it  into  two  dwelling  houses.  They  occupied  one 
of  the  dwellings  and  Campbell  Johnson  the  other.  Later 
Mr.  Johnson  moved  into  the  old  building  adjoining,  now 
owned  by  Joseph  H.  Vanzant.  This  latter  building  is  one 
of  Bristol's  old  landmarks,  having  been  erected  in  1795. 
It  was  occupied  at  one  time  by  Squire  Joseph  Penning- 
ton. The  house  adjoining  stood  back  from  the  street  and 
had  a  beautiful  front  yard.  It  was  occupied  by  Wm. 
Kurtz  and  later  by  Wm.  Osmond.  The  brick  dwelling 
owned  by  Dr.  Howard  Pursell  and  now  rented  by  Axel 
Swain,  was  built  in  1801.  It  was  occupied  for  many 
years  by  Wm.  Osmond,  who  was  a  baker  by  trade.  A 
man  named  William  Israel  carried  on  the  bottling  busi- 
ness in  the  property  occupied  by  Dr.  Pursell.  Later  a 
restaurant  was  kept  in  the  same  building  by  William 
Jeffries. 

The  hotel  on  the  adjoining  corner,  owned  by  William 
Silbert,  was  occupied  in  1848  by  Louis  Hoguet  as  a  drug 


350  A    HISTORY   OF   BRiSTOIv  BOROUGH. 

Store.  The  Swift  family  lived  in  the  building  next  door, 
now  used  by  Frank  Peirce  as  a  barber  shop.  Mrs.  Swift 
and  her  daughter,  Matilda,  were  school  teachers  in  the 
old  Wood  Street  building.  Andrew  Gilkeson  owned  the 
building  adjoining  and  it  was  here  that  the  late  B.  F. 
Gilkeson,  Esq.,  was  born.  Two  frame  buildings  stood 
next  door,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by  Joshua  Buck- 
man  as  a  dry  goods  store.  In  an  ancient  dwelling  ad- 
joining, was  a  barber  shop  conducted  by  George  Barber. 
Later  Robert  Patterson  occupied  it  for  many  years,  as  a 
hat  and  cap  store.  Where  John  Stuckert  has  his  law 
office  stood  an  old  dwelling  owned  by  the  Harkless 
family.  It  later  came  into  possession  of  John  Vanzant 
and  was  removed  to  another  site  and  the  present  build- 
ing erected.  In  the  stone  building  now  used  as  a  stove 
and  tin  store  by  Lewis  J.  Bevan,  was  a  cabinet  making 
shop  conducted  by  Cornelius  Costello  and  a  stove  and  tin 
store  by  Wm.  Sulgar.  The  corner  property  had  many 
tenants  among  whom  was  Christopher  Riley,  who  car- 
ried on  the  newspaper  business.  Crossing  over  to  the 
other  side  of  the  street,  we  come  to  the  Delaware  House, 
a  full  account  of  which  is  published  under  a  separate 
heading.  John  Bessonett  was  proprietor,  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  Lewis  Pratt. 

In  the  ancient  dwelling  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Mill 
and  Ratclifife  Streets,  now  occupied  by  J.  Curtis  Howell, 
a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store  was  kept  by  John  Bailey. 
He  was  succeeded  in  the  business  by  Nathan  Tyler  and 
Morton  Walmsley.  Adjoining  this  property  on  Mill 
Street  were  three  frame  dwellings.  John  Vanzant  con- 
ducted a  cigar  store  in  the  one  next  to  the  corner  prop- 
erty. Adjoining  the  cigar  store  a  shoe  store  was  kept 
by  James  Jamison  and  next  to  Jamison's,  John  Scull  re- 
sided and  conducted  an  oyster  saloon  in  the  basement.  In 
the  winter  of  1857  these  three  houses  were  destroyed  by 
fire.  The  old  stone  house  now  occupied  by  the  family  of 
the  late  Wm.  P.  Wright,  was  tenanted  by  Mrs.  Lydia 
Lukens,  whose  notion  store  is  remembered  by  many  of 
our  citizens  today.  Later  the  property  was  purchased  by 
Joseph  Kinsey,  who  opened  a  hardware  store.  In  the 
building  now  owned  by  Emil  Erthal,  Charles  Pratt  kept 
a  store.     Later  a  restaurant  was  conducted  here  by  Wil- 


A   HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  351 

Ham  Jeffries,  and  still  later  Charles  Pascoe  started  a  shoe 
store  in  the  building.  The  corner  property  now  used  by 
Jas.  Clark  as  a  jewelry  store  was  then  used  as  a  dry  goods 
store  by  Thomas  Callanarn.  On  the  corner  now  occupied 
by  the  Child's  building,  was  an  old  structure  in  which 
Betsy  Stackhouse  kept  a  grocery  and  candy  store.  Later 
the  store  was  occupied  by  Jonathan  Milnor,  the  father  of 
our  fellow  townsman,  C.  Wesley  Milnor,  Taylor  &  Gar- 
wood, Joseph  Vanzant  and  Milton  Webster. 

The  brick  house  occupied  so  many  years  by  Dr.  E.  J. 
Groom,  was  the  home  of  Dr.  John  Phillips  and  Dr.  Lor- 
ing  Peirce.  In  the  building  where  the  Bristol  News 
Agency  is  now  established,  and  where  Claude  Harris  con- 
ducts a  fruit  store,  Symington  Phillips  lived  and  adjoin- 
ing his  home  a  liquor  store  was  kept  by  Felix  Mullison. 
Next  door,  Nathan  McCorkle  carried  on  the  tailoring 
business  and  in  the  adjoining  property  was  a  ladies'  hoop 
manufactory  conducted  by  a  Mr.  Wilkinson.  John 
Shade's  bottling  establishment  was  later  started  here,  and 
it  was  in  this  building  where  Joseph  Vanzant  started  his 
antique  furniture  store,  which  afterward  became  distin- 
guished as  the  "Noah's  Ark."  In  the  next  building,  Dr. 
John  Phillips  had  his  office.  Adjoining  Dr.  Phillips' 
office,  the  two  houses  which  occupied  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent residences  of  Max  Cohen  and  Miss  Ada  L.  Brown, 
were  built  by  Joseph  and  James  Foster,  in  1852.  The 
next  old  style  1)rick  building  in  which  Townsnd's  restau- 
rant is  now  located,  was  owned  and  occupied  by  Thomas 
Scott  for  many  years.  Later  Washington  Wilson  opened 
a  clothing  store  in  the  building.  Still  later  the  building 
was  used  by  Charles  Ahlee  and  Hazel  Hibbs  as  an  ice 
cream  and  candy  manufactory.  In  the  two  buildings  ad- 
joining, now  occupied  by  S.  Levinson  and  M.  Spector, 
lived  John  Adams  and  Robert  Booz,  the  former  being  the 
proprietor  of  a  shoe  store. 

James  Brudon  kept  the  leading  grocery  store  in  the 
town,  in  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  new  5  and  10 
cent  store.  In  1852  Mrs.  Hester  and  Mary  Adams  kept 
a  notion  store  in  the;  building  now  occupied  by  Groff  & 
Brudon.  In  the  corner  property,  where  is  now  located 
the  jewelry  store  of  Byram  Foster,  lived  Campbell  John- 
son,  who  followed   the   trade   of  wheelwright.     On   the 


352  A    HISTORY   OF  BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

opposite  corner,  now  occupied  by  Johnson  Brothers, 
Charles  Sulgar  conducted  a  bakery.  He  was  followed  by 
James  Foster,  who  carried  on  the  grocery  business,  and 
later  by  Nathan  Roberts,  who  conducted  a  flour  and  feed 
store.  In  the  building  now  occupied  by  Bayles'  jewelry 
store,  Joseph  Foster  was  in  the  same  business.  Later 
Mrs.  J.  M.  Brown  opened  a  millinery  store  in  the  same 
place.  Joseph  Wright  opened  the  first  harness-making 
business  in  Bristol  in  the  building  at  present  occupied  by 
Strumfels'  cigar  store.  The  two  adjoining  buildings 
were  occupied  as  a  tin  store  by  Charles  &  Serrill  Doug- 
lass. Isaac  Brown,  a  colored  man,  owned  the  property 
now  in  possession  of  the  Singer  Brothers.  This  prop- 
erty was  later  purchased  by  John  Brelsford.  Between 
this  property  and  the  corner  store  was  the  old  David 
Swain  home.  Mr.  Swain  carried  on  the  business  of 
cabinet  maker  for  many  years.  The  corner  property  now 
known  as  '^Bell's  Corner,"  was  built  and  occupied  by  the 
firm  of  Bostwick  &  Cabeen,  which  firm  conducted  the 
largest  dry  goods  and  grocery  business  in  the  town. 

On  the  opposite  corner  the  dwelling  was  occupied  for 
many  years  by  J.  Merrick  Brown.  The  Railroad  House 
was  kept  by  Jacob  Poole  and  Wm.  Early.  Betsy  Wright 
kept  a  candy  shop  in  the  old  building  adjoining,  and  in 
the  next  building,  now  owned  by  John  McOwen,  Jackson 
Hibbs  ran  a  grocery  store.  In  an  old  building  which  was 
built  directly  over  the  mill  race,  John  Cost^llo  conducted 
a  drug  store.  Across  the  single  railroad  track  which  ran 
through  the  town,  was  a  soap  factory  and  adjoining  this 
a  wheelwright  shop  ran  by  Phillip  Blackwood.  It  was 
afterward  occupied  by  Jonathan  Street  as  a  grocery 
store.     (Contributed  by  Joseph  H.  Vanzant.) 

Bristol  Borough  to  Purchase  Water  Works. — Just  as 
the  final  forms  of  this  work  are  ready  for  the  press,  the 
stockholders  of  the  Bristol  Water  Company  have  agreed 
to  sell  their  plant  to  the  Borough  for  the  sum  of  $112,640. 
Joseph  R.  Grundy  offers  to  make  up  difference  between 
the  bond  issue  ($100,000)  provided  for  by  Town  Council, 
and  the  purchase  price.  He  also  proposes  to  pay  the  cost 
of  contructing  a  new  water  tower  of  150,000  gallons, 
which  involves  an  additional  donation  of  $8,000. 


A   HISTORY   OF  BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  353 


BOROUGH  OFFICERS. 


1720.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Bond,  John  Hall;  High  Con- 
stable, Thomas  Clifford. 

1730.  Burgesses,  John  Hall,  Nathan  Watson;  High 
Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram  DeNor- 
mandie,  Ennion  Williams,  Thomas  Marriott,  James 
Higgs,  John  Elfreth,  William  Hope. 

1731.  Burgesses,  John  Abram  DeNormandie,  Nathan 
Watson;  High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  Thom- 
as Marriott,  James  Higgs,  Ennion  Williams,  Benjamin 
Wright,  John  Elfreth,  William  Hope. 

1732.  Burgesses,  John  Hall,  Ennion  Williams;  Coun- 
cil, John  Abraham  DeNormandie,  Thomas  Marriott,  Ben- 
jamin Wright,  James  Higgs,  William  Hope,  John  El- 
freth. 

1742.  Burgesses,  John  Abram  DeNormandie,  John 
Frohoe ;  High  Constable,  John  Hutchinson ;  Council, 
Josepth  Jackson,  William  Buckley,  Thomas  Marriott, 
Ennion  Williams,  Nicholas  Allen,  Matthew  Keen. 

1743-44.  Burgesses,  John  Abraham  De  Normandie, 
John  Frohoe ;  High  Constable,  John  Hutchinson ;  Coun- 
cil, Ennion  Williams,  Thomas  Marriott,  Joseph  Jackson, 
John  Anthony  De  Normandie,  William  Buckley. 

1745.  Burgesses,  John  Hall,  William  Buckley;  Coun- 
cil, John  Abram  DeNormandie,  Ennion  Williams,  Thom- 
as Marriott,  Joseph  Jackson,  William  Atkinson,  John 
Frohoe. 

1746.  Burgesses,  John  Hall,  William  Buckley;  High 
Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram  De  Nor- 
mandie, Ennion  Williams,  John  Frohoe,  William  Atkin- 
son, John  Anthony  DeNormandie,  William  DeNor- 
mandie. 

1747.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  Matthias  Keen; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram  De- 


354  A   HISTORY   OF   BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Normandie,  John  Hall,  Alexander  Graydon,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, Thomas  Marriott,  Joseph  Jackson  (John  Anthony 
DeNormandie,  John  Frohoe,  Samuel  Harker,  elected 
February  29,  1745,  to  fill  vacancies). 

1748.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  John  DeNorman- 
die; High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram 
DeNormandie,  Ennion  Williams,  Alexander  Graydon, 
John  Hall,  John  Frohoe,  Samuel  Harker,  Nicholas  Allen, 
John  Hutchinson,  Joseph  Church. 

1749.  Burgesses  William  Buckley,  John  DeNorman- 
die; Council,  Joseph  Atkinson,  William  Large,  John 
Abram  DeNormandie,  Ennion  Williams,  Alexander 
Graydon,  Samuel  Harker,  Nicholas  Allen,  John  Hutch- 
inson, Joseph  Church. 

1750.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  William  Large; 
Council,  Ennion  Williams,  John  Abram  DeNormandie, 
Alexander  Graydon,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Joseph  Church, 
Thomas  Marriott. 

1751.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  Joseph  Church; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram  De- 
Normandie, Alexander  Graydon,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Wil- 
liam Large,  Ennion  Williams,  John  Allen,  Bernard  Duf- 
field,  Thomas  Marriott,  Anthony  Murphy. 

1752-53.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  Thomas  Mar- 
riott ;  High  Constable,  John  Priestly ;  Council,  Ennion 
Williams,  Alexander  Graydon,  John  A.  DeNormandie, 
Joseph  Church,  William  Large,  John  Allen,  Joseph  At- 
kinson, Thomas  Stapler,  Ebenezer  Robinson. 

1754.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  Thomas  Marriott; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, Alexander  Graydon,  John  A.  DeNormandie,  Jos- 
eph Church,  William  Large,  John  Allen,  Joseph  Atkin- 
son,  Thomas   Stapler,   Matthew  Keen. 

1755.  Burgesses,  John  DeNormandie,  Joseph  Atkin- 
son ;  High  Constable,  John  Priestly ;  Council,  John 
Abram  DeNormandie,  Ennion  Williams,  Alexander 
Graydon,  William  Buckley,  Joseph  Church,  William 
Large,  John  Allen,  Thomas  Marriott,  Matthias  Keen. 

1756.  Burgesses,  John  DeNormandie,  Joseph  Atkin- 
son ;  High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  John  Abram 
DeNormandie,   Ennion  Williams,  Thomas   Stapler,  Wil- 


A   HISTORY   OF   BRISTOIy  BOROUGH.  355 

liam    Buckley,   John   Hutchinson,   William   Large,   John 
-Allen,  Thomas  Marriott,  Matthias  Keen. 

1757.  Burgesses,  William  Buckley,  Joseph  Atkinson; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, John  Abram  DeNormandie,  Alexander  Graydon, 
William  Large,  John  Allen,  Thomas  Marriott,  Samuel 
Woolston,  John  Hutchinson,  Daniel  DeNormandie. 

1758.  Burgesses,  John  DeNormandie,  William  Large; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, Alexander  Graydon,  William  Buckley,  John  Hut- 
chinson, John  Allen,  Daniel  DeNormandie,  Thomas  Mar- 
riott, Joseph  Atkinson,  Burnet  Richards. 

1759.  Burgesses,  Ennion  Williams,  William  Large; 
High  Constable,  Abraham  Bulsford;  Council,  Alexander 
Graydon,  Thomas  Marriott,  John  Hutchinson,  Joseph  At- 
kinson, Burnet  Richards,  John  Priestly,  John  Allen,  John 
DeNormandie,  David  Pinkerton. 

1760.  Burgesses,  Hugh  Hartshorne,  Burnet  Richards; 
High  Constable,  John  Priestly;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, Alexander  Graydon,  Thomas  Marriott,  John  Hut- 
chinson, Joseph  Church,  Joseph  Atkinson,  John  Allen, 
John  Green,  J.  DeNormandie. 

1 76 1*  Burgesses,  John  Hall,  John  Green;  High  Con- 
stable,* Samuel  Woolson ;  Council,  Ennion  Williams, 
Hugh  Hartshorne,  John  DeNormandie,  John  Allen,  Wil- 
liam Large,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Joseph  Church. 

1762.  Burgesses,  Hugh  Hartshorne,  John  Priestly; 
High  Constable,  Joseph  Brown;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, John  DeNormandie,  John  Hall,  William  Mcll- 
vaine,  Joseph  Atkinson,  William  Large,  Joseph  Church. 

1763.  Burgesses,  Hugh  Hartshorne,  David  Pinker- 
ton  ;  High  Constable,  Joseph  Brown ;  Council,  Ennion 
Williams,  John  DeNormandie,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Joseph 
Church,  William  Large,  John  Allen,  John  Priestly. 

1764.  Burgesses,  John  Priestly,  Joseph  Hall;  High 
Constable,  Joseph  Brown ;  Council,  Ennion  Williams, 
Hugh  Hartshorne,  Joseph  Church,  Joseph  Atkinson, 
Jonathan  Haight,  William  Mcllvain,  John  Green. 

1765.  Burgesses,  Phineas  Buckley,  John  Hutchinson; 
Council,    Ennion    Williams,    Hugh    Hartshorne,    Joseph 


356  A   HISTORY   OB*   BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 

Church,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Jonathan  Haight,  Joseph  Hall,. 
John  Green. 

1766.  Burgesses,  Phineas  Buckley,  John  Bessonett; 
Council,  Ennion  Williams,  Hugh  Hartshorne,  John  De- 
Normandie,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Jonathan  Haight,  John 
Green,  John  Priestly. 

1768-74.  Burgesses,  Phineas  Buckley,  John  Bessonett; 
High  Constable,  Joseph  Brown;  Council,  Ennion  Wil- 
liams, John  DeNormandie,  Hugh  Hartshorne,  John 
Priestly,  Joseph  Atkinson,  John  Green,  Charles  Besson- 
ett. (Green  was  succeeded  by  Patterson  Hartshorne  in 
1772,  and  Priestly  by  John  Hutchinson  in  1773.) 

1774-75.  Burgesses,  Phineas  Buckley,  John  Bessonett; 
Council,  Ennion  Williams,  John  Abram  DeNormandie, 
Hugh  Hartshorne,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Charles  Bessonett, 
John  Hutchinson,  William  Mcllvaine.  (Joseph  Church 
succeeded  Charles  Bessonett  in  1775,  and  John  Gosline 
became  High  Constable  in  that  year.) 

1784-85.  Burgesses,  Daniel  Kennedy,  Joseph  Clunn;. 
High  Constable,  Richard  Gosline;  Council,  William  Mc- 
llvaine, Joseph  Mcllvaine,  Charles  Bessonett,  Archibald 
McElroy,  John  Gosline,  John  Dowdney,  John  Priestly. 
(William  Rodman  succeeded  Priestly  in  1785.) 

1786.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Thomas  Pearson; 
High  Constable,  Richard  Gosline;  Council,  Joseph  Mcll- 
vaine, Archibald  McElroy,  John  Hutchinson,  Timothy 
Merrick,  Job  Stackhouse,  Joseph  Vanschiver,  Jonathan 
Pursell. 

1787.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Thomas  Pearson; 
High  Constable,  Richard  Gosline;  Council,  John  Hutchin- 
son, Charles  Bessonett,  Robert  Merrick,  Job  Stackhouse,, 
Timothy  Merrick,  Jonathan  Pursell,  William  Allen. 

1788-89.  Burgesses,  John  Hutchinson,  Thomas  Pear- 
son ;  High  Constable,  Timothy  Merrick ;  Council,  Samuel 
Kinsey,  Amos  Gregg,  William  Mcllvaine,  Pearson 
Mitchell,  Job  Stackhouse,  Jonathan  Pursell.  (Archibald 
McElroy  succeeded  Gregg  in  1789.) 

1790.  Burgesses,  John  Hutchinson,  Joseph  Clunn; 
High  Constable,  John  Murray;  Council,  William  Mcll- 
vaine, Archibald   McElroy,   Pearson    Mitchell,    Thomas 


A    HISTORY  OF   BRISTOIv  BOROUGH.  357 

Pearson,  Samuel  Kinsey,  Timothy  Merrick,  Jonathan 
Pursell. 

1791.  Burgesses,  John  Hutchinson,  Jonathan  Pursell ; 
High  Constable,  John  Murray;  Council,  Archibald  Mc- 
Elroy,  Joseph  Clunn,  Thomas  Pearson,  Pearson  Mitchell, 
Samuel  Kinsey,  Timothy  Merrick,  Joseph*  Minnick. 

1792-93.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Minnick,  John  Gosline; 
High  Constable,  John  Murray;  Council,  Archibald  Mc- 
Elroy,  Charles  Bessonett,  Thomas  Pearson,  Timothy 
Merrick,  Samuel  Kinsey,  Jonathan  Pursell,  James  Harri- 
son. (Joseph  Clunn  and  William  Crawford  succeeded 
McElroy  and  Bessonett  in  1793.) 

1794.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Minnick,  Robert  Merrick; 
Council,  Archibald  McElroy,  Charles  Bessonett,  George 
Merrick,  Timothy  Merrick,  Samuel  Kinsey,  Jonathan 
Pursell,  Job  Stackhouse. 

1795.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Richard  Trimble; 
High  Constable,  Richard  Merrick,  Jr.;  Council,  Samuel 
Kinsey,  John  Gosline,  John  Hutchinson,  Joseph  Clunn, 
Charles   Bessonett,   Job    Stackhouse,   Benjamin   Walton. 

1796.  Burgesses,  Joseph  P.  Minnick,  John  Gosline; 
High  Constable,  Francis  Stackhouse;  Council,  Joseph 
Clunn,  Amos  Gregg,  Job  Stackhouse,  Timothy  Merrick, 
Jonathan  Pursell,  William  Crawford,  Lewis  Howard. 

1797.  Burgesses,  Charles  Shoemaker,  John  Gosline; 
High  Constable,  Francis  Stackhouse;  Council,  Joseph 
Clunn,  John  Hutchinson,  Job  Stackhouse,  Amos  Gregg, 
Samuel  Kinsey,  Jonathan  Pursell,  William  Crawford. 

1798.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Joseph  P.  Minnick; 
High  Constable,  Francis  Stackhouse;  Council,  William 
Crawford,  John  Hutchinson,  Richard  Lloyd,  James  Har- 
rison, James  Serrill,  Joseph  Stackhouse,  John  Baldwin. 

1799.  Burgesses,  John  Gosline,  Archibald  McElroy; 
High  Constable,  Francis  Stackhouse;  Council,  Joseph 
Clunn,  John  Hutchinson,  Job  Stackhouse,  Jonathan  Pur- 
sell, William  Crawford,  Richard  Lloyd,  John  Hutchin- 
son, Jr. 

1802.  Burgesses,  Samuel  Scotton,  William  Perkins; 
High  Constable,  William  Crawford;  Council,  John  Gos- 
line, Amos  Gregg,  Joseph  Clunn,  Joseph  Headley,  Jona- 
than Pursell,  James  Harrison,  John  Read. 


358  A   HISTORY   O^   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

1803.  Burgesses,  William  Perkins,  Samuel  Scotton, 
High  Constable  John  Johnson ;  Council,  Joseph  Clunn, 
Jonathan  Pursell,  Joseph  Headley,  Benjamin  Swain,  Wil- 
liam McElhaney,  William  Crawford,  John  Reed. 

1804.  Burgesses,  Samuel  Scotton,  William  Perkins; 
High  Constable,  John  Johnson ;  Council,  Joseph  Headley, 
Benjamin  Swain,  Joseph  Clunn,  W^illiam  McElhaney, 
William  Crawford,  Amos  Gregg,  Job  Stackhouse. 

1805.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Henry  Disborough ; 
High  Constable,  Enos  Wright;  Council,  Joseph  Clunn, 
John  Reed,  William  Crawford,  Samuel  Church,  John 
Patterson,  Noah  Haines,  Joseph  Headley. 

1806.  Burgesses,  John  Gosline,  Henry  Disborough; 
High  Constable,  Enos  Wright ;  Council,  Joseph  Clunn; 
William  Crawford,  Samuel  Scotton,  William  Mcllhany, 
Benjamin  Swain,  Joseph  Headley,  John  Patterson. 

1807.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  John  Reed ;  High  Con- 
stable, William  Kinsey;  Council,  Phineas  Buckley,  Job 
Stackhouse,  Samuel  Lounsbury,  John  White,  Samuel 
Church,  Joseph  Stackhouse,  Stephen  Hibbs. 

1808-9.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  J.  S.  Mitchell ;  High 
Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  Phineas  Buckley, 
Joseph  Headley,  Job  Stackhouse,  Ebenezer  Headley,  Jos- 
eph Stackhouse,  Jonathan  Pursell,  William  Crawford. 
(John  Reed  succeeded  Crawford  in  1809.) 

1810.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  J.  S.  Mitchell;  High 
Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  Phineas  Buckley, 
Samuel  Scotton,  Jonathan  Pursell,  Joseph  Stackhouse, 
John  Reed,  Abraham  Warner,  Samuel  Church. 

1811-12.  Burgesses,  Amos  Gregg,  Henry  Disborough; 
High  Constable,  Henry  Tomlinson ;  Council,  Joseph 
Clunn,  Phineas  Buckley,  Jonathan  Pursell,  John  Reed, 
Samuel  Church,  Abraham  Warner,  Samuel  Lounsberry. 
(William  Ennis  became  High  Constable  in  1812.) 

1813.  Burgesses,  Archibald  McElroy,  John  Besson- 
ett ;  High  Constable,  Henry  Tomlinson ;  Council,  Joseph 
Clunn,  John  Patterson,  John  White,  David  Swain,  Wil- 
liam Crawford,  Hugh  Tomb,  Joseph  Vanzant. 

1815.  Burgesses,  Archibald  McElroy,  John  White; 
High   Constable,  Abraham   Hagerman ;   Council,   Joseph 


A    HISTORY   O^   BRISTOIv   BOROUGH.  359 

Clunn,  William  Crawford,  John  Patterson,  John  Besson- 
ett,  Benjamin  Swain,  Isaac  Pitcher. 

1816-17.  Burgesses,  Louis  Bache,  Abraham  Warner; 
High  Constable,  John  H.  Merrick  (Abraham  Hagerman 
in  1817)  ;  Council,  Benjamin  Swain,  Henry  Disborough, 
Isaac  Pitcher,  Amos  Gregg,  John  Bessonett,  John  Phil- 
lips, John  Reed. 

1818.  Burgesses,  Archibald  McElroy,  W^illiam  Craw- 
ford; High  Constable,  Charles  Snyder;  Council,  Amos 
Gregg,  Benjamin  Swain,  John  Bessonett,  John  Reed, 
Ebenezer  Stackhouse,  David  Swain. 

1819.  Burgesses,  Archibald  McElroy,  John  White; 
High  Constable,  John  Johnson;  Council,  John  G.  Priest- 
ly, Isaac  Pitcher,  Samuel  Lewis,  Henry  Tomlinson, 
Ebenezer  Stackhouse,  John  Bessonett,  Lewis  P.  Kinsey. 

1820.  Burgesses,  Archibald  McElroy,  Henry  Disbor- 
ough; High  Constable,  John  T.  Brown;  Council,  Eben- 
ezer Stackhouse,  John  Bessonett,  John  Kinsey,  Isaac 
Pitcher,  John  White,  Fincher  Hellings,  John  Johnson. 

1821.  Burgesses,  John  Phillips,  Benjamin  Swain; 
High  Constable,  John  T.  Brown;  Council,  John  Reed, 
William  Crawford,  Ebenezer  Stackhouse,  John  Hutchin- 
son, Samuel  Allen,  Joseph  Warner,  L.  P.  Kinsey. 

1822.  Burgesses,  John  Phillips,  Henry  Disborough; 
High  Constable,  John  T.  Brown;  Council,  Benjamin 
Swain,  Joseph  Warner,  Samuel  Allen,  David  Dorrance, 
William  F.  Swift,  Ebenezer  Stackhouse,  William  Craw- 
ford. 

1823.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Henry  Disborough; 
High  Constable,  John  T.  Brown ;  Council,  William  Craw- 
ford, Ebenezer  Stackhouse,  John  Hutchinson,  Benjamin 
Swain,  Samuel  Allen,  John  Kinsey,  Isaac  Wilson. 

1824.  Burgesses,  David  Dorrance,  Joseph  M.  Down- 
ing; High  Constable,  John  T.  Brown;  Council,  David 
Swain,  James  Johnson,  Robert  Cabeen,  John  Heiss,  Wil- 
liam F.  Swift,  John  White. 

1825.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Joseph  M.  Down- 
ing; High  Constable,  William  Gale;  Council,  Ebenezer 
Stackhouse,  Benjamin  Swain,  Samuel  Allen,  Robert  Ca- 
been, William  F.  Swift,  John  Kinsey,  John  Bessonett. 

1826.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Joseph  M.   Down- 


360  A   HISTORY   OF   BRiSTOIv  BOROUGH. 

ing;  High  Constable,  John  Johnson;  Council,  Ebenezer 
Stackhouse,  Benjamin  Swain,  William  F.  Swift,  Samuel 
Allen,  Robert  Cabeen,  John  Bessonett,  John  Kinsey. 

1827.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Joseph  M.  Down- 
ing; High  Constable,  John  Johnson;  Council,  Robert  Ca- 
been, Samuel  Allen,  Benjamin  Swain,  William  F.  Swift, 
John  Bessonett,  John  Kinsey,  William  Laihg. 

1828.  Burgesses,  Joseph  M.  Downing,  Benjamin 
Swain ;  High  Constable,  John  Johnson ;  Council,  Robert 
Cabeen,  John  Bessonett,  Samuel  Allen,  William  Laing, 
John  Hutchinson,  John  Boyd,  L.  P.  Kinsey. 

1829.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Benjamin  Swain; 
High  Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  Samuel  Allen, 
Robert  Cabeen,  William  Laing,  John  Hutchinson,  John 
Boyd,  L.  P.  Kinsey,  John  Bessonett. 

1830.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  Joseph  M.  Down- 
ing; High  Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  John 
Bessonett,  Samuel  Allen,  Robert  Cabeen,  William  Laing, 
Robert  C.  Beatty,  Eleazer  Fenton,  L.  P.  Kinsey. 

1831.  Burgesses,  Joseph  Warner,  James  Johnson; 
High  Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  John  Bes- 
sonett, Edward  Swain,  Robert  Cabeen,  William  Hawk, 
Robert  C.  Beatty,  Eleazer  Fenton,  L.  P.  Kinsey. 

1832-33.  Burgesses,  William  F.  Smith,  James  John- 
son; High  Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  Robert 
Cabeen,  William  Hawk,  H.  N.  Bostwick,  Samuel  Allen, 
Edward  Swain,  James  Harrison,  John  Bessonett. 

1834.  Burgesses,  William  F.  Swift,  James  R.  Scott; 
High  Constable,  William  Kinsey;  Council,  Robert  Ca- 
been, John  Bessonett,  William  Hawk,  Samuel  Allen,  H. 
N.  Bostwick,  James  Harrison,  Edward  Swain. 

1835.  Burgesses,  William  Hawk,  James  R.  Scott; 
High  Constable,  William  Killingsworth ;  Council,  Sam- 
uel Allen,  H.  N.  Bostwick,  Eleazer  Fenton,  James  Har- 
rison, Edward  Swain,  John  Dorrance,  William  Kinsey. 

1836.  Burgesses,  William  Kinsey,  Benjamin  Brown; 
High  Constable,  Timothy  Stackhouse ;  Council,  Samuel 
Allen,  James  Harrison,  Jonathan  Adams,  John  Heiss, 
David  Woodington,  Gilbert  Tomlinson,  Robert 
Patterson. 

1837.  Burgesses,   William   Kinsey,    Joseph    B.     Pen- 


A    HISTORY   O^   BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  361 

nington;  High  Constable,  Lewis  P.  Kinsey;  Council, 
Samuel  Allen,  James  Brudon,  David  E.  Woodington, 
Robert  Patterson,  Joseph  F.  Warner,  William  Killings- 
worth,  William  F.  Swift. 

1838.  Burgesses,  William  Hawk,  Joseph  B.  Penning- 
ton; High  Constable,  John  Feaster;  Council,  Charles  W. 
Pierce,  Robert  Cabeen,  Gilbert  Tomlinson,  John  W.  Van- 
degrift,  Samuel  Allen,  John  Dorrance,  Isaac  W.  Hall. 

1839.  Burgesses,  William  Hawk,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Robert  Patterson;  Council,  Samuel  Al- 
len, John  Dorrance,  Robert  Cabeen,  James  Irvine,  James 
Johnson,  John  Johnson,  James  Brudon. 

1840.  Burgesses,  Charles  Banes,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Robert  Patterson ;  Council,  James  John- 
son, John  Wright,  John  Johnson,  James  Brudon,  James 
Irvine,  William  Kinsey,  Charles  Smith. 

1841.  Burgesses,  Charles  Banes,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Robert  Patterson ;  Council,  James  John- 
son, James  Brudon,  James  Irvine,  John  Wright,  William 
Kinsey,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  James  W.  Weiss. 

1842.  Burgesses,  William  Kinsey,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Robert  Patterson;  Council,  Lewis  P. 
Kinsey,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  John  Dorrance,  Benjamin 
Malone,  H.  N.  Bostwick,  Samuel  Allen,  James  Brudon. 

1843.  Burgesses,  William  Kinsey,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Joseph  R.  Hellings ;  Council,  Chester 
Sturdevant,  Benjamin  Ball,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  Lewis 
P.  Kinsey,  James  Brudon,  Benjamin  Malone. 

1844.  Burgesses,  William  Kinsey,  Benjamin  Blinn; 
High  Constable,  Joseph  R.  Hellings ;  Council,  James 
Johnson,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  Robert  Patterson,  John 
Wright,  John  Stewart,  John  K.  Holt,  Augustus  Gerrard. 

1845.  Burgesses,  James  Brudon,  Benjamin  Blinn ; 
High  Constable,  Charles  Titus;  Council,  Lewis  P.  Kin- 
sey, John  Wright,  John  K.  Holt,  Andrew  W.  Gilkeson, 
Robert  Patterson,  Morton  Righter,  Jackson  Gilkeson. 

1846.  Burgesses,  Benjamin  Malone,  Augustus  Ger- 
rard; High  Constable,  Charles  Titus,  Council,  Andrew 
W.  Gilkeson,  William  R.  Phillips,  Lewis  P.  Kinsey,  An- 
thony Swain,  Henry  M.  Wright,  Jackson  Gilkeson,  James 
Phillips. 


362  A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

1847.  Burgesses,  Mahlon  G.  Hibbs,  Augustus  Ger- 
rard;  High  Constable,  Lemuel  Nilly;*  Council,  Andrew 
W.  Gilkeson,  Lewis  P.  Kinsey,  John  K.  Holt,  James  Bru- 
don,  Joseph  Wright,  Jackson  Gilkeson,  William  Kinsey. 

1848.  Burgesses,  William  Hawk,  Charles  Thompson; 
High  Constable,  Lemuel  Nilly;  Council,  Anthony  Swain, 
Samuel  Allen,  John  Eastburn,  William  H.  White,  Louis 
A.  Hoguet,  George  C.  Johnson,  Alexander  Morrison. 

1849.  Burgesses,  Isaac  Van  Horn,  Robert  Patterson ; 
High  Constable,  Charles  Titus;  Council,  James  Brudon, 
Andrew  W.  Gilkeson,  John  Wright,  John  Davis,  John  K. 
Holt,  Lewis  P.  Kinsey,  William  Earley. 

1850.  Burgesses,  Daniel  P.  Forst,  William  H.  White ; 
High  Constable,  Chilion  W.  Higgs ;  Council,  John  Dor- 
rance,  William  M.  Downing,  William  Killingsworth, 
John  W.  Bray,  Robert  Booz,  James  Rue,  Albert 
L.  Packer. 

185 1.  Burgess,  Daniel  P.  Forst;  High  Constable, 
James  Phillips ;  Council,  John  Dorrance,  John  W.  Bray, 
William  M.  Downing,  Robert  Booz,  William  Killings- 
worth,  James  Rue,  A.  L.  Packer,  William  H.  White,  L. 
A.  Hoguet. 

1852.  Burgess,  William  Kinsey;  High  Constable, 
Giles  S.  Winder;  Council,  William  Bache,  John  W.  Bray, 
William  M.  Downing,  Edmund  Lawrence,  James  Rue, 
Daniel  Street,  William  H.  White,  Henry  M.  Wright, 
Joseph  Wright. 

1853.  Burgess,  William  Kinsey;  High  Constable, 
Giles  S.  Winder;  Council,  Valentine  Booz,  Jesse  W. 
Knight,  James  W.  Martin,  Henry  M.  Wright,  William 
Bache,  Edmund  Lawrence,  Daniel  Street,  John  S.  Kin- 
sey, John  S.  Brelsford. 

1854.  Burgess,  William  Kinsey;  High  Constable, 
Giles  S.  Winder;  Council,  Samuel  Allen,  Valentine  Booz, 
Jesse  Wright,  William  M.  Downing,  W.  H.  White,  John 
Vanzant,  A.  L.  Packer,  J.  S.  Brelsford,  L.  P.  Kinsey. 

1855.  Burgess,  Daniel  P.  Forst;  High  Constable,  Rob- 
ert Sanderson ;  Council,  James  Rue,  William  Bache,  W. 
H.  White,  Joseph  S.  Pierce,  John  Davis,  John  M.  Brown, 
Charles  W.  Pierce,  Jr.,  Nathan  Taylor,  Henry  M. 
Wright. 


A   HISTORY  OF  BRiSTOIv  BOROUGH.  363 

1856.  Burgess,  Albert  L.  Packer;  High  Constable, 
Giles  S.  Winder;  Council,  William  M.  Downing,  Valen- 
tine Booz,  James  Brudon,  John  S.  Brelsford,  Christian 
Sulger,  John  Vanzant,  Nathan  Gaskell,  Thomas  B. 
Bailey,  Lewis  M.  Wharton. 

1857.  Burgess,  A.  L.  Packer;  High  Constable,  John 
H.  Smith;  Council,  William  M.  Downing,  Valentine 
Booz,  John  Vanzant,  James  Brudon,  Nathan  Gaskell, 
Thomas  B.  Bailey,  John  S.  Brelsford,  Christian  Sulger, 
Lewis  M.  Wharton. 

1858.  Burgess,  A.  L.  Packer;  High  Constable,  Wil- 
liam Fine ;  Council,  Valentine  Booz,  James  Brudon,  Jacob 
McBrien,  William  K.  Evans,  A.  J.  Hibbs,  L.  M.  Whar- 
ton, David  Michener,  H.  L.  Strong,  John  Dorrance. 

1859.  Burgess,  A.  L.  Packer;  High  Constable,  Sam- 
uel Winder;  Council,  John  Dorrance,  James  Brudon, 
Jacob  McBrien,  H.  L.  Strong,  William  K.  Evans,  David 
Michener,  Thomas  B.  Bailey,  William  H.  White,  Lewis 
M.  Wharton. 

i860.  Burgess,  A.  L.  Packer;  High  Constable,  Samuel 
Winder;  Council,  John  Dorrance,  James  Brudon,  Jacob 
McBrien,  James  W.  Martin,  John  S.  Brelsford,  Joseph  M. 
Disborough,  Robert  Brooks,  A.  J.  Hibbs,  William  K. 
Evans. 

1861.  Burgess,  James  Brudon;  High  Constable,  Wil- 
liam D.  Fenton ;  Council,  James  W.  Martin,  Henry  M. 
Wright,  William  H.  White,  William  B.  Baker,  John  W. 
Bailey,  Ellwood  Doron,  John  D.  Mendenhall,  Jacob  Mc- 
Brien, Lewis  M.  Wharton. 

1862.  Burgess,  Robert  Patterson;  High,  Constable 
John  Taylor;  Council,  Jacob  McBrien,  Ellwood  Doron, 
William  H.  White,  John  W.  Bailey,  Wesley  M.  Lee, 
Thomas  B.  Bailey,  Charles  G.  Stout,  William  B.  Baker, 
Lewis  M.  Wharton. 

1863.  Burgess,  Robert  Patterson;  High  Constable, 
John  Taylor;  Council,  Ellwood  Doron,  Jacob  McBrien, 
Nathaniel  Brodnax,  James  Brudon,  Robert  W.  Brooks, 
Lewis  M.  Wharton,  Charles  G.  Stout,  William  A.  Stew- 
art, Wesley  M.  Lee,  Timothy  Stackhouse. 

1864.  Burgess,  Robert  Patterson;  High  Constable, 
John   Taylor;   Council,   Thomas   Scott,   William    Hawk, 


364  A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL  BOROUGH. 

Timothy  Stackhouse,  William  B.  Baker,  William  H. 
White,  Wesley  M.  Lee,  Ellwood  Doron,  Nathaniel  Brod- 
nex,  James  Brudon,  Robert  W.  Brooks. 

1865.  Burgess,  Robert  Patterson ;  High  Constable, 
Anthony  D.  Minster;  Council,  Robert  W.  Brooks,  John 
W.  Bailey,  James  Foster,  John  Taylor,  Ellwood  Doron, 
William  B.  Baker,  Thomas  Scott,  W.  W.  White,  T. 
Stackhouse,  William  Hawk. 

1866.  Burgess,  Robert  Patterson;  High  Constable, 
John  Taylor;  Council,  Robert  W.  Brooks,  James  V.  Fos- 
ter, John  W.  Bailey,  John  Taylor,  Ellwood  Doron,  James 
Brudon,  Thomas  Scott,  Charles  C.  Douglass,  Nathaniel 
Brodnax,  T.  Stackhouse. 

1867.  Burgess,  Ellwood  Doron;  High  Constable, 
Reuben  Pedrick ;  Council,  Dr.  L.  V.  Rosseau,  Dr.  E.  J. 
Groom,  James  W.  Martin,  Henry  A.  Bailey,  J.  Wesley 
Wright,  James  Brudon,  Thomas  Scott,  Charles  C.  Doug- 
lass, Nathaniel  Brodnax,  T.  Stackhouse. 

1868.  Burgess,  Ellwood  Doron ;  High  Constable,  John 
A.  Worrell;  Council,  Allen  D.  Garwood,  Robert  W. 
Brooks,  James  Brudon,  Thomas  B.  Bailey,  Charles  C. 
Douglass,  L.  V.  Rosseau,  E.  J.  Groom,  James  W.  Martin, 
Henry  A.  Bailey,  J.  Wesley  Wright. 

1869.  Burgess,  Ellwood  Doron;  Council,  John  R. 
Green,  Charles  Pierce,  Joseph  Bailey,  S.  V.  Rosseau,  E. 
J.  Groom,  Charles  C.  Douglass,  Allen  D.  Garwood,  Rob- 
ert W.  Brooks,  James  Brudon,  Thomas  B.  Bailey. 

1870.  Burgess,  Ellwood  Doron ;  Council,  John  W. 
Bailey,  William  H.  White,  Gilbert  Green,  John  Taylor,  J. 
Wesley  Wright,  John  R.  Green,  Charles  Pierce,  Joseph 
Bailey,  S.  V.  Rosseau,  E.  J.  Groom. 

1871.  Burgess,  Symington  Phillips;  Council,  Samuel 
Pike,  Morton  Walmesley,  Charles  Pierce,  Joseph  Bailey, 
James  Brudon,  John  W.  Bailey,  W.  H.  White,  Gilbert 
Green,  John  Taylor,  J.  Wesley  Wright. 

1872.  Burgess,  Symington  Phillips;  Council,  Albert  L. 
Packer,  I.  S.  Tomlinson,  W.  B.  Baker,  William  Jones,  J. 
Wesley  Wright,  Samuel  Pike,  Morton  Walmesley, 
Charles  Pierce,  Joseph  Bailey,  James  Brudon. 

1873.  Burgess,  Charles  E.  Scott;  Council,  S.  S.  Rue, 
C.  W.  Pierce,  James  M.  Slack,  David  Stackhouse,  Samuel 


A   HISTORY  OP   BRISTOL  BOROUGH.  365 

Pike,  A.  L.  Packer,  I.  S.  Tomlinson,  W.  B.  Baker,  Wil- 
liam Jones,  J.  Wesley  Wright. 

1874.  Burgess,  Charles  E.  Scott;  Council,  Morton  A, 
Walmesley,  A.  L.  Packer,  Henry  M.  Wright,  L.  A.  Hogu- 
et,  J.  Wesley  Wright,  S.  S.  Rue,  C.  W.  Pierce,  J.  M. 
Slack,  Samuel  Pike,  David  Stackhouse. 

1875.  Burgess,  Charles  E.  Scott;  Council,  Charles  W. 
Pierce,  James  M.  Slack,  Samuel  Pike,  S.  S.  Rue,  Jona- 
than Wright,  J.  Wesley  Wright,  Henry  M.  Wright,  L.  A. 
Hoguet,  A.  L.  Packer,  Morton  A.  Walmesley. 

1876.  Burgess,  Charles  E.  Scott;  Council,  H.  M. 
Wright,  J.  Wesley  Wright,  Charles  York,  Allen  L.  Gar- 
wood, Symington  Phillips,  C.  W.  Pierce,  J.  M.  Slack, 
Samuel  Pike,  S.  S.  Rue,  Jonathan  Wright. 

1877.  Burgess,  James  M.  Slack;  Council,  H.  M. 
Wright,  Symington  Phillips,  A.  L.  Garwood,  C.  York,  W. 
H.  Booz,  William  Louderbough,  Thomas  B.  Harkins,  C. 
W.  Pierce,  S.  S.  Rue,  J.  W.  Wright. 

1878.  Burgess,  James  M.  Slack;  Council,  C.  W.  Pierce, 
Symington  Phillips,  W.  H.  Booz,  Charles  York,  Charles 
Scheide,  S.  S.  Rue,  H.  M.  Wright,  Thomas  B.  Harkins, 
Charles  Fenton,  J.  W.  Wright. 

1879.  Burgess,  Allen  L.  Garwood;  Council,  L.  A. 
Hoguet,  W.  H.  Booz,  R.  W.  Holt,  C.  W.  Pierce,  Jr.,  T. 
B.  Harkins,  Henry  Sutch,  C.  H.  Fenton,  Symington  Phil- 
lips, C.  E.  Scheide,  H.  M.  Wright,  J.  W.  Wright. 

1880.  Burgess,  Allen  L.  Garwood ;  Council,  Charles 
E.  Scheide,  William  H.  Grundy,  John  S.  Brelsford,  James 
Wright,  W.  Taylor  Potts,  Michael  Dougherty,  L.  A. 
Hoguet,  W.  H.  Booz,  R.  W.  Holt,  C.  W.  Pierce,  Jr.,  T. 
B.  Harkins,  Henry  Sutch. 

1881.  Burgess,  J.  Wesley  Wright;  Council,  John  S. 
Brelsford,  W.  H.  Booz,  M.  Dougherty,  William  H. 
Grundy,  R.  W.  Holt,  L.  A.  Hoguet,  William  J.  Jones,  W. 
Taylor  Potts,  C.  W.  Pierce,  Henry  Rue,  Charles  E. 
Scheide,  James  Wright. 

1882.  Burgess,  J.  Wesley  Wright;  Council,  John  Bur- 
ton, W.  H.  Booz,  Nelson  Green,  R.  W.  Holt,  L.  A.  Hogu- 
et, William  J.  Jones,  James  Lyndall,  C.  W.  Pierce,  Henry 
Rue,  William  Tabram,  James  Warden,  James  Wright. 

1883.  Burgess,  J.   Wesley  Wright;   Council,    Nelson 


366  A   HISTORY   OI'  BRiSTOIv  BOROUGH. 

Green,  A.  Heeding,  A.  K.  Joyce,  James  Lyndall,  C.  N. 
Pierce,  G.  A.  Shoemaker,  Joseph  Sherman,  William  Tab- 
ram,  James  Warden,  Jacob  M.  Winder,  James  Wright, 
John  Burton. 

1884.  Burgess,  J.  Wesley  Wright;  Council,  G.  A. 
Shoemaker,  C.  N.  Pierce,  A.  K.  Joyce,  Joseph  Sherman, 
A.  Hoeding,  J.  M.  Winder,  James  Wright,  Nelson  Green, 
W.  S.  Daniels,  William  Tabram,  Thomas  B.  Harkins,  A. 
Loechner. 

1885.  Burgess,  William  H.  Grundy;  Council,  Francis 
Fenimore,  A.  K.  Joyce,  C.  N.  Pierce,  G.  A.  Shoemaker,  C. 
H.  Hoeding,  R.  W.  Holt,  James  Wright,  Nelson  Green, 
W.  Daniels,  William  Tabram,  T.  B.  Harkins,  A. 
Loechner. 

1886.  Burgess,  William  H.  Grundy;  Council,  W.  S. 
Daniels,  F.  N.  Booz,  A.  L.  Garwood,  R.  S.  Buseman,  A. 
Loechner,  James  Wright,  Francis  Fenimore,  A.  K.  Joyce, 
C.  N.  Pierce,  G.  A.  Shoemaker,  C.  H.  Hoeding,  R.  W. 
Holt. 

1887.  Burgess,  William  H.  Grundy;  Council,  Francis 
Fenimore,  A.  K.  Joyce,  G.  A.  Shoemaker,  C.  H.  Brudon, 
Henry  Rue,  S.  W.  Black,  W.  S.  Daniels,  F.  N.  Booz,  A.  L. 
Garwood,  R.  S.  Buseman,  A.  Loechner,  James  Wright. 

1888.  Burgess,  William  H.  Grundy;  Council,  George 
A.  Shoemaker,  A.  K.  Joyce,  Samuel  Black,  Francis  Feni- 
more, John  Lumm,  Harry  Rue,  Wm.  R.  Bailey,  S.  J. 
Sterling,  C.  F.  Brudon,  J.  M.  Callanan,  James  Wright, 
John  F.  Riley. 

1889.  Burgess,  Wm.  P.  Wright;  Council,  James 
Wright,  J.  M.  Callanan,  R.  A.  Porter,  W.  B.  Baker, 
Henry  Rue,  A.  K.  Joyce,  Peter  Deihl,  Wm.  R.  Bailey, 
Samuel  Sterling,  C.  F.  Brudon,  John  Lumm,  John  F. 
Riley. 

1890.  Burgess,  Wm.  P.  Wright;  Council,  James 
Wright,  W.  B.  Baker,  Peter  Deihl,  A.  K.  Joyce,  Henry 
Rue,  R.  A.  Porter,  Anthony  Bell,  E.  J.  McCue,  Robert 
Clark,  J.  T.  Whitely,  J.  H.  Kelly,  G.  L..  Horn,  Charles 
Strumfels,  Lewis  Spring,  C.  F.  Brudon. 

1891.  Burgess,  Francis  Fenimore;  Council,  James 
Wright,  Anthony  Bell,  Robert  Clark,  J.  N.  DeGroot, 
Joseph  R.  Grundy,  Frank  Green,  G.  L.  Horn,  J.  H.  Kelly, 


A    HISTORY  OF   BRISTOI.  BOROUGH.  367 

Patrick  Lyden,  John  C.  Maule,  E.  J.  McCue,  G.  W.. 
Strausser,  Lewis  Spring,  Charles  Strumfels,  J.  T.  White- 
ly,  Samuel  Scott. 

1892.  Burgess,  Francis  Fenimore;  Council,  Robert 
Clark,  J.  N.  DeGroot,  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  Frank  Green,  J. 
H.  Kelly,  Patrick  Lyden,  John  C.  Maule,  G.  W.  Strausser, 
Samuel  Scott,  Lewis  Spring,  J.  T.  Whitely,  James 
Wright,  Peter  Curran,  Patrick  McFadden,  E.  G.  Smith, 
Dr.  W.  P.  Weaver. 

1893.  Burgess,  Thos.  B.  Harkins ;  Council,  Robert 
Clark,  R.  T.  Fetrow,  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  J.  H.  Kelly, 
John  C.  Maule,  Wm.  Robinson,  G.  W.  Strausser,  E.  G. 
Smith,  Lewis  Spring,  Samuel  Scott,  Dr.  W.  P.  Weaver, 
John  T.  Whitely,  James  Wright,  E.  M.  Wood,  Patrick 
McFadden,  Peter  Curran. 

1894.  Burgess,  Thos.  B.  Harkins ;  Council,  James 
Wright,  Robert  Clark,  R.  T.  Fetrow,  Joseph  R.  Grundy, 
J.  H.  Kelly,  John  C.  Maule,  J.  R.  Pearson,  Wm.  Robin- 
son, Edward  Roche,  G.  W.  Strausser,  E.  G.  Smith,  Lewis 
Spring,  Samuel  Scott,  J.  T.  Whitely,  James  Wright,  E. 
M.  Wood. 

1895.  Burgess,  R.  T.  Buseman;  Council,  B.  C.  Foster, 
Robert  Clark,  Samuel  Milnor,  Mahlon  H.  Moss,  James 
McCarry,  Wm.  Robinson,  Edward  Roche,  W.  F.  Scull, 
E.  G.  Smith,  Lewis  Spring,  Samuel  Scott,  D.  W.  Willing- 
myre.  Dr.  W.  P.  Weaver,  J.  T.  Whitely,  James  Wright, 
J.  R.  Pearson. 

1896.  Burgess,  R.  T.  Buseman ;  Council,  B.  C.  Foster, 
P.  R.  Deihl,  Owen  Evans,  R.  T.  Fetrow,  Samuel  Milnor, 
M.  H.  Moss,  James  McCarry,  W.  F.  Scull,  E.  G.  Smith, 
Samuel  Scott,  J.  T.  Whitely,  James  Wright,  Edward 
Roche,  John  V.  Kelly,  A.  K.  Joyce,  Wm.  Robinson. 

1897.  Burgess,  Benjamin  S.  Johnson ;  Council,  Owen 
Evans,  A.  K.  Joyce,  R.  T.  Fetrow,  John  V.  Kelly,  Samuel 
Milnor,  Edward  Roche,  W.  F.  Scull,  E.  G.  Smith,  Samuel 
Scott,  J.  T.  Whitely,  James  Wright,  Thomas  Scott,  Den- 
nis A.  Dugan,  M.  A.  McCarry,  Jr.,  Fred  F.  Collier,  Fred 
Byers. 

1898.  Benjamin  S.  Johnson,  Burgess;  Council,  W.  F. 
Scull,  Wm.  W.  Allen,  D.  A.  Dugan,  Owen  Evans,  Frank 
Flum,  John  V.  Kelly,  Samuel  Milnor,  Fred  Byers,  Maur- 


368  A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL   BOROUGH. 

ice  McCue,  M.  A.  McCarry,  Jr.,  Alfred  Pearson,  H.  H.  H. 
Poole,  Samuel  Scott,  Thomas  Scott,  L.  C.  Wettling, 
James  Wright. 

1899.  Burgess,  Benjamin  S.  Johnson;  Council,  W.  F. 
Scull,  W.  W.  Allen,  J.  B.  Appleton,  W.  H.  Butler,  F.  T. 
Byers,  J.  A.  Callahan,  E.  F.  Ennis,  W.  K.  Fine,  Frank 
Flum,  C.  M.  Guyon,  E.  A.  Jeffries,  Maurice  McCue,  Al- 
fred Pearson,  H.  H.  H.  Poole,  James  Wright,  John  V. 
Kelly. 

1900.  Burgess,  Edward  L.  Leigh;  Council,  W.  F. 
Scull,  W.  W.  Allen,  J.  B.  Appleton,  W.  H.  Butler,  E.  F. 
Ennis,  W.  K.  Fine,  C.  M.  Guyon,  J.  B.  Headley,  E.  A. 
Jeffries,  M.  Larrisey,  T.  J.  McGinnis,  G.  A.  Rathke,  H. 
H.  H.  Poole,  Albert  Rothenberger,  James  Wright,  J.  A. 
Callahan. 

1901.  Burgess,  Edward  L.  Leigh;  Council,  W.  F. 
Scull,  W.  W.  Allen,  W.  H.  Butler,  J.  A.  Callahan,  W.  K. 
Fine,  J.  V.  Headley,  Edward  Hoeding,  M.  Larrisey,  J. 
M.  Owens,  H.  H.  H.  Poole,  G.  A.  Rathke,  A.  Rothen- 
berger, Edmund  Spearing,  James  Wright,  James  Coyle, 
T.  J.  McGinnis. 

1902.  Burgess,  Edward  L.  Leigh ;  Council,  W.  F. 
Scull,  W.  H.  Butler,  J.  A.  Callahan,  James  Coyle,  J.  N. 
DeGroot,  W.  K.  Fine,  J.  P.  Gallagher,  Edward  Hoeding, 
E.  McDonald,  James  Moore,  J.  M.  Owens,  H.  H.  H. 
Poole,  G.  A.  Rathke,  Edmund  Spearing,  James  Wright, 
W.  A.  Girton. 

1903.  Burgess,  Dr.  J.  de  B.  Abbott;  Council,  J.  H. 
Brooks,  G.  W.  Buckley,  J.  J.  Dugan,  J.  N.  DeGroot,  P.  J. 
Dougherty,  W.  K.  Fine,  Frank  Flum,  W.  A.  Girton,  J.  P. 
Gallagher,  Edward  Hoeding,  E.  McDonald,  James  Moore, 
J.  M.  Owens,  H.  H.  H.  Poole,  G.  A.  Rathke,  James 
Wright. 

1904.  Burgess,  Dr.  J.  de  B.  Abbott;  Council,  J.  ,M. 
Owens,  G.  W.  Buckley,  P.  J.  Dougherty,  W.  K.  Fine, 
Frank  Flum,  W.  A.  Girton,  Edward  Hoeding,  T.  Hoff- 
man, W.  K.  Highland,  James  Moore,  H.  H.  H.  Poole, 
Albert  Pepper,  G.  A.  Rathke,  James  Sackville,  James 
Wright,  J.  J.  Dugan. 

1905.  Burgess,  Dr.  J.  de  B.  Abbott;  Council,  J.  M. 
Owens,  G.  W.  Buckley,  C.  L.  Anderson,  P.  J.  Dougherty, 


A    HISTORY   OF   BRISTOL   BOROUGH.  369 

W.  K.  Highland,  W.  K.  Fine,  M.  J.  Fallon,  Joseph  R. 
Grundy,  W.  A.  Girton,  Thos.  Hoffman,  W.  L.  Johnson, 
J.  B.  Keating,  James  Moore,  H.  H.  H.  Poole,  G.  A. 
Rathke,  James  Sackville,  Lewis  Spring,  James  Wright,  G. 
L.  Williams,  Dr.  A.  S.  Wilson. 

1906.  Burgess,  William  K.  Highland;  Council,  C.  L. 
Anderson,  G.  W.  Buckley,  P.  J.  Dougherty,  J.  Dever,  W. 
K.  Fine,  M.  J.  Fallon,  Joseph  R.  Grundy,  Edward  Hoed- 
ing,  W.  L.  Johnson,  J.  B.  Keating,  J.  J.  Kilcoyne,  J.  B. 
McGee,  J.  M.  Owen,  G.  A.  Rathke,  G.  W.  Strauser, 
Lewis  Spring,  James  Wright,  G.  L.  Williams,  Dr.  A.  S. 
Wilson,  Abram  Wilson. 

1907.  Burgess,  William  K.  Highland ;  Council,  J.  M. 
Owen,  J.  de  B.  Abbott,  P.  J.  Dougherty,  James  Wright, 
G.  L.  Williams,  C.  L.  Anderson,  J.  J.  Kilcoyne,  M.  J. 
Fallon,  J.  R.  Grundy,  G.  A.  Rathke,  Lewis  Spring,  Dr. 
A.  S.  Wilson,  G.  W.  Strauser,  Edward  Hoeding,  W.  K. 
Fine,  A.  B.  Wilson,  C.  E.  Kelly,  M.  J.  Sweeney,  J.  B. 
McGee,  G.  W.  Buckley. 

1908.  Burgess,  William  K.  Highland ;  Council,  J.  M. 
Owen,  C.  L.  Anderson,  Geo.  W.  Buckley,  P.  J.  Dougher- 
ty, M.  J.  Fallon,  J.  R.  Grundy,  Edward  Hoeding,  Thos.  S. 
Harper,  C.  E.  Kelly,  J.  J.  Kilcoyne,  J.  B.  McGee,  Gustav 
A.  Rathke,  G.  W.  Strauser,  Lewis  Spring,  M.  J.  Sween- 
ey, James  Wright,  G.  L.  Williams,  A.  B.  Wilson,  Peter 
McNelis,  W.  K.  Fine. 

1909.  Burgess,  H.  E.  Ancker;  Council,  J.  M.  Owen, 
J.  de  B.  Abbott,  G.  W.  Buckley,  P.  J.  Dougherty,  W.  K. 
Fine,  Edward  Hoeding,  R.  B.  King,  C.  G.  Young,  J.  J. 
Kilcoyne,  W.  L  Murphy,  Peter  McNelis,  G.  A.  Rathke, 
G.  W.  Strauser,  Lewis  Spring,  James  Wright,  G.  L.  Wil- 
liams, A.  B.  Wilson,  J.  R.  Grundy,  Dr.  A  .S.  Wilson,  M. 
J.  Fallon. 

1910.  H.  E.  Ancker,  Burgess;  Council,  J.  M.  Owen,  J. 
de  B.  Abbott,  G.  W.  Buckley,  James  Wright,  G.  L.  Wil- 
liams, J.  J.  Kilcoyne,  T.  E.  Hoffman,  J.  R.  Grundy,  G.  A. 
Rathke,  Dr.  A.  S.  Wilson,  Lewis  Spring,  G.  W.  Straus- 
er, W.  K.  Fine,  M.  J.  Fallon,  Edward  Hoeding,  R.  B. 
King,  C.  G.  Young,  A.  B.  Wilson,  P.  J.  Dougherty,  Den- 
nis J.  Mulligan. 


370 


A  HISTORY  OF  BRISTOI.  BOROUGH. 


191 1.  Owing  to  the  passage  of  a  new  election  law  by 
the  State  Legislature,  which  has  done  away  with  the 
Spring  elections  and  provided  for  but  one  election  in 
each  year,  to  be  held  in  November,  at  which  time  all  offi- 
cers, whether  of  the  Nation,  State,  County  or  Borough, 
shall  be  elected,  all  Borough  officers  holding  office  at  the 
time  the  new  act  went  into  effect,  whose  terms  expired 
in  191 1,  have  had  their  terms  extended  to  1912.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  the  list  of  borough  officers  for  191 1  will 
be  the  same  as  1910. 


